Everything Changes
by L.MacQ
Summary: Very AU. Pyro wants to learn where he comes from. Turns out to be a couple mutants working for the military...specifically the Merc With the Mouth. Deadpool/OC.
1. Introduction

_**/-New York, 1985-/**_

"Are you nervous? You look nervous."

"I'm not nervous, Wade."

"Really, because you look-"

"Wade." Stryker cut in, "if she says she's not nervous, then she's not nervous."

A smirk sprung to the mercenary's lips, "I'm just trying to help the little lady in her hour of need, boss."

"And I'm sure she appreciates your efforts-" Amy shot the older man a look that implied she felt the exact opposite of that statement, but he dismissed it with a small smile. "but I'm sure she and Zero would like the concentrate on the task at hand."

The mentioned pair glanced at each other. The task at hand this time being to play nice while Stryker chatted up some government stiffs.

"Your right," Wade's smirk widened, "besides, maybe I'm just gauging her expression wrong. Kinda hard to tell what it is under all that gunk." He gestured towards her made up face.

She didn't take the bait. She never took the bait. Instead, she smiled demurely. "Don't be jealous, Wade."

His face flushed slightly as Zero stifled a chuckle. "I'm not _jealous_, Allerdyce."

"Yes you are." She told him, and he _was_. Not that he didn't hate himself for it.

-/**New York, 2002**/-

John shuffled awkwardly outside the professor's door.

"Don't be nervous," Bobby told him.

The other boy rolled his eyes, "I'm not nervous."

"Then why haven't you opened the door?"

"F-"

"John?" Xavier called, "You can come in now."

The fire starter glared at his smirking friend before opening the door. He clicked his lighter rhythmically as he looked around the office. The Professor eyed him with patience. "Something you wanted, son?"

It snapped closed in his slightly shaking hand. John kept his back to the old man as he spoke. "I want to know about my parents."

"What about them?"

"How about who they are?"

The Professor sighed, "I've told you before John, when you're older perhaps-"

"I'm fourteen! I think I'm old enough to wrap my head around whatever they did that make them some kind of-"

"John."

The teen quieted instantly. The Professor stared at him. John Allerdyce had never been the most stable of his students. But he was considerably more stable then his mother had been at his age. She had been…well, calling her a difficult case would be putting it lightly. Amy hadn't had the emotional troubles –or rather, not the same types of emotional troubles- as her son did. Didn't have the angst perhaps, but she had the same self loathing. John had it for his so called lack of mutation, Amy had it for the extremity of the same thing.

The Professor agreed, "you're right, you are old enough. But not for the whole story."

"But-"

"But," The elderly man went on, clasping his hands together, "I'll let you ask one question."

Annoyance flickered in Pyro's eyes, "just one?"

"Just one. But, I suppose on top of that, it's time I give you their names." Xavier wheeled over to a filing cabinet. Opening it with an ease that irked the younger man, he slowly shifted around until he found what ever it was he was looking for. "Ah," He pulled a very thin file out, "here it is." He passed it to John, who quickly flipped it open. "Your mother, Amy Allerdyce."

Pyro's eyes widened slightly at the newspaper clippings inside, each proclaiming some kind of hell fire had been raining down in a small town in Kansas. A small girl, maybe eleven, maybe a little younger, was featured in most of them; the black and white of the camera hinting to her pale skin and dark hair. Sad eyes looked gloomily back and him and he swallowed.

He had her eyes. Those eyes flickered back to the Professor who was watching him with interest, "she was a student here?"

"Briefly," He sighed, wheeling back to his desk. "I always thought she had such potential."

"Why?" John flipped over to the medical files, glancing down at her 'abilities' he read aloud: "The subject displays class pyrokinetic abilities with a lack of control that boarder lines obdurate. It is unknown whether or not this is of her own will. This combined with her anti-social behavior, it is recommended the subject should be isolated at all times."

The Professor leaned back in his chair, "that was one suggestion we didn't follow."

"She was a fire starter?"

A smirk rose on Xavier's lips, "she didn't like that term."

"Why didn't you tell me?" John asked, "Who wanted to keep her isolated?"

"The psychiatric facility she had been enrolled in when we found her." The Professor told him that was his one question before continuing, "your father's name was Wade Wilson."

"Don't I get his file?"

"He doesn't have a file. Well, not a school file."

Pyro tilted his head, "what kind of file does he have?"

"Military."

/-**Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1985**-/

"How was your _date_?"

Amy rolled her eyes, unclasping the necklace that was roped around her throat. "The banquet was fine."

"Have fun?" Wade sauntered up behind her, undoing the back of her dress for her, "Zero get lucky?"

"Not tonight," She smiled as he kissed the back of her neck gently, "how was your night?"

"Oh, you know, killed some people, ordered a pizza, same old same old." The mercenary slid his hand inside her dress.

The woman shuddered, but pulled away regardless. "I'm gonna go wash this gunk off." Sliding the dress from her hips, she left it in a pile on the floor.

"You're just gonna leave me hangin'?" The man called. A soft laugh was heard and he promptly chased her in to the bathroom.

A/N: Whenever the dates are split, and in the same chapter, it's implied that they are in conjunction. This is just a test on whether or not people will respond to it, and is completely AU. Don't get mad at me.


	2. What My Parents Do

/-**Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1986**-/

Wade watched closely as Amy's hands lit up, sending a small, electrified shiver down his spine. Blue flames danced around her fingertips, and continued down her palm to her wrist. He went to touch them with wide eyed fascination, but she quickly extinguished them.

"Aw, come on, Ames, I let you play with my swords all the time!"

"I don't want to hurt you." She murmured, leaning back on his bare chest, as he shifted on the bed.

"You won't." He told her. Kissing the side of her neck gently, he nudged her wrist. "Light it up again."

"Wade-"

"Trust me."

And she did, though she let out a quiet, "your burns haven't even healed yet."

Brown eyes locked on her as an attentive hand reached out to her own. The fire swayed uneasily and a few sparks emitted from her fingers as Wade's fingers skimmed up her palm. They reddened and blistered, but he ignored the discomfort.

"It's beautiful."

"And dangerous."

His smile brightened. "Just like you."

Amy's face remained stoic as she let the flames flicker out.

-/**New York,** **2004**/-

The small photo had been cut out of the newspaper clipping and framed. Why, he wasn't entirely sure, but John found it to be a nice, if not misguided, attempt on Scott Summer's behalf. Not that he'd ever admit that.

"I met her once or twice," Summer's face screwed up in disgruntled mask. "She was…"

John stared at him from his seat at the kitchen island. "She was…?"

Scott shared a look with his wife, "Well. She was a lot like you, I guess."

"Scott," Jean put her hand on the man's arm before looking at Pyro, "she was strong, too strong for her own good. It scared her, made her…"

"Anti-social?" The teen supplied, a little annoyed with their lack of cooperation. "I already know that."

The red head sighed, looking at him sympathetically. "I never met her," she confessed, "but from what I hear," Her eyes moved to Scott's, "maybe it's a good thing you didn't."

"What-"

"Look, John." His teacher's ruby glasses shone, "I know your curious about where you come from, but this really isn't the best time."

Brown eyes smoldered back at him. "It's never a good time," John snapped, hopping off his stool. "You said you knew her-"

"I did! She wasn't- it's not-" Summer's grunted in frustration., "it's just more complicated then you realize, okay?"

But he was gone, having disappeared down the hall to his room. They jumped as the door slammed. Scott sighed, sliding into the seat the boy had vacated. Putting his head in his hands, he breathed in as his wife put her arms around him.

"How am I suppose to tell him his parents experimented on their own kind?"

She shook her head, "I don't know."

/-**Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1986**-/

Her eyes softened as Chris dodged another of Wade attacks. "I wished they'd be more careful with him."

John Wraith chuckled, "who? Chris or Wade?"

"Chris," She paused a moment before going on, "he's just so tiny."

"Don't let 'im hear ya talkin' like that," Dukes said, "can really kill a guy's self-esteem."

"Sorry."

A large hand patted her shoulder as he told her not to worry about it. "How 'er things goin' with you and Wilson, anyway?"

"Fine."

"Still kinda tight lipped about the whole thing, huh?" Wraith asked, smirking. "Only thing Wade's ever kept his mouth shut about has been you, ya know."

"I know." She gave him a classic simple closed mouth smile, before turning back to the fight. The men shared a look over her head before doing the same.

"You fight like a girl!" Wade taunted, ducking easily out of the way as Chris threw another punch. "Come on, Nancy, hit me!"

The shorter man flushed before an alarm triggered over there heads. Said man took the pop Wade one in the balls when he looked up to listen.

"Team X to air base."

The men rose and Amy waited a moment. Wade shook off the pain. "You comin', cupcake?"

She grimaced at the pet name. "Am I suppose to?"

Bradley's eyes shifted and he told her she was. Appearing slightly disgruntled, she stuck close to Dukes as the group left. Wade spinning his swords to her left, was careful not to strike her. But he did nudge her with his elbow, earning a condescending glance from Wraith and a smirk from Fred as they continued down the corridor. Amy ignored the gesture all together, with the exception of a small smile on her lips.

Soon enough they were on the base, standing toe to toe with Col. Stryker, and Agent Zero. Not to mention a few new comers they hadn't seen before.

"Men," Styker was dictating to the strangers as the team eyed them curiously. Wade's swords swung a little faster, more threatening, "I'd like to introduce you Team X."

"Hello." One of them nodded, "I'm James Logan. This is my brother," he jerked his head to the other man, the more intimidating man on his right, "Victor Creed."

"Hi." Victor smirked, raking his gaze over every one of them, pausing on Wade and Amy. Or more accurately, their stances. The man was positioned in front of the woman, a look of his face that was both calm and deadly. The woman seemed slightly bored, but seemed to notice his position as well.

She shot Victor a look that clearly stated: _Yeah, he's an idiot. But he'd _my_ idiot._

They were mates, the brothers realized instantly, their scents intertwined and imbedded in each other's skin.

"Amelia, Can I trust you to show them around the base?"

Stryker left before she could answer, but she followed orders anyway. She offered her hand to James, "I'm Amy, this is Fred Dukes," She motioned to the large man next to her, "This is John Wraith," She nodded to the man just south of her, who tipped his cow boy hat in greeting, "you've already met Zero, and the cretin in front of me is Wade Wilson."

"Buenos Dias." He continued to spin the deadly weapon in his hands, "I like your…" he eyed them from head to toe, "well, never mind then. Welcome."

"Wade." Amy warned, "Aren't you and Chris suppose to be training?"

"Oh yeah," His brown eyes darted around, "where is that little scamp?"

"Probably plotting your timely demise," Wraith joked, shaking his head before looking at the brothers, "best you two get on with your tour. Amy," He pursed his lips, "play nice."

"She's always nice," Wade grinned, seathing his sword before turning on his heel. "And if they touch her I'll cut them three ways from Sunday."

"He's a little protective," Dukes drawled, "come on, Wraith let's go watch the show."

John shook both their hands, "it was nice meetin', y'all." He told them, before jogging after his friend, leaving the young woman with the two of them.

"Well, that was interesting." James drawled, noting the trace of a smirk on her lips.

"Is that what you'd call us?"

"Yeah, real fuckin' interestin', you ready ta go, frail?" Her attention snapped over to Creed's and she nodded.

"Of course," She nodded, her black bangs falling in her eyes from her cropped hair cut, "this way, gentlemen."

A/N: I know they showed up waaay prior. Remember: AU. Sorry for the Lack of Pyro.


	3. Who The Bad Guys Are

/-**Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1986**-/

"How come I'm never invited to any of these fancy shindigs?"

Amy didn't say anything as she slipped an earring in. Once in was secure, she asked him to zip her up. Sighing, Wade crossed the room and slid the small metal latch up her back. "You never answered me." He murmured.

"Probably 'cause you never shut up." The pair turned to face James in the door way, clad in rather nice dress clothes.

Wade's jaw dropped, "the newbie gets to go?"

"Of course," Chris smirked as he walked into Amy's room, "Stryker's got to show off his new pets."

James glowered at him, but didn't say anything about it. He could already sense the woman's annoyance with their presence.

"They're both going?" The man snapped, turning to his lover as she clipped a necklace on. Amy cast him a soft glance, and put her hands on his shoulders. They sunk at the touch and his eyes locked on her face.

The other men shared a look. They saw it often, but it was still strange to see Wade shut up for the girl.

"I'll be home in a few hours." She tilted her chin up with a finger. Kissing him gently she smirked. "Wait up for me?"

Wade nodded, almost submissively before a grin sprung onto his face. "Always, Ames."

-/**Somewhere over Alberta, Canada**, **2004**/-

"So," John was leaning over in his seat, the plane's steady motion bothering his stomach slightly. He glanced at the older man and female mutant to his right, "they say you're the bad guy."

Magneto smirked, "is that what they say?"

"That's a dorky lookin' helmet-"

Mystique cut him off, muttering a quiet, "like father like son."

Pyro froze, the flame in front of him promptly distinguishing as his line of thought was forgotten. He sat up slowly, giving her his rapt attention. "What'd you say?"

Neither answered right away, instead choosing to share a coy look. The teenager didn't respond well to that, "You knew my parents?" He demanded.

"You could say that," Mystique's lips turned into a knowing half smile, "why? You don't remember me?"

John remained silent as Magneto joined in on the conversation, "that's right," he grinned knowingly, "you raised young master Allerdyce for what was it, dear, a month?"

"Three weeks," She corrected, seeming both cocky and bitter. "Longest three weeks of my life." Her yellow eyes rolled as she explained, "you were colicky. No one likes a colicky baby."

"So, you did know my parents?" Pyro repeated a tad disgruntled that the Professor hadn't told him that. "Why'd _you_ have me? What happened to them?"

"I-" Mystique's eyes dropped in an uncharacteristically moment of uncertain doubt, "I owed your mother a favor." Her gaze shifted to Kurt Wagner, or as he was known in the Munich circus, Nightcrawler, but only for a nanosecond before looking back at the boy. "So she had a friend hunt me down and make me play babysitter for the first few weeks of your life."

"A very touching story indeed." Magneto drawled. "As for what happened to them, I would hardly classify a plane full of people to be an appropriate place to tell you neither of your parents' discretions nor of your unfortunate origins."

John stared at them. This was more information then the professor had given him in attending his school almost five years, in five minutes. He was annoyed, and oddly betrayed. "How can I trust the bad guy?"

"How can you trust anyone?" Erik challenged, "Even those claiming to protect you," his eyes snaked over to Logan at the front of the plane, "seemed to have lied to you. Kept you out of your own business, haven't they, _John_?"

The boy lowered his head to his lighter and flipped it open and closed, listening as the man continued to speak. "Seemed to pick up on Amelia's pyrokinetic abilities?"

"I can only manipulate the fire." He snapped it shut, "I can't create it."

"You're a god among insects," Magneto told him, completely confident in his words. "Don't let anyone tell you different."

Pyro didn't say anything, but thumbed over his lighter briefly, before tucking it back into his pocket.

/-**Somewhere over Europe 1982**-/

They were just suppose to escort her back to the base. A simply easy task that would usher Amy into the working ways of Team X. But it wasn't.

The blue mutant wouldn't stop talking, and she knew all the right things to say to put the new comer at ill ease. "How can you do this to one of your own?"

Amy didn't glance at her, but lowered her head in shame as she went on.

"How could you? You know what they'll do to me in there? What they do to us?" The woman leaned closer, her chains keeping her pinned back to the wall. There were only three of them in the plane, the others still continuing their mission, with the exception of Chris who was flying the plane. "You know why they want me?"

Amy stood up with a hand on her hip. On her taser.

But Mystique went on, her tone dropping dangerously. "Because I'm pregnant."

The young woman's eyes snapped to her yellow ones as she visibly paled. "You know what kind of experiments they do on-"

"Shut up!" Amelia snapped, "I've had enough of this crap! Chris!" The man looked up, "take her down!"

"What?" He blinked in surprise as her hands lit up (as did Mystique's hopes) into two large blue flames. "Why-"

"I didn't sign up for this shit, now take her down!" Amy raised a menacing hand to the control panel, "or I will."

Sighing, the small man (though still taller than the woman threatening him) did as he was told.

Amy tasered him when they were about ten feet from the ground, making for a rather rough landing that threw her across the plane, and gave the prisoner a rather good shake.

"What'd you do that for?"

The free woman ignored her, moving quickly around the plane for supplies. She came up with about sixty dollars and an emergency supply kit. She paused outside Mystique's cage. "If I let you go, can you promise to keep out of sight for a while?"

A nod.

"And if I let you go, can you promise not to kill me or Bradley?"

Another nod. Brown eyes stared up in to yellow a long moment. Finally, the mutant, or at least, the mutant with the more visible mutation, sighed. "Fine, I promise."

"Can I trust your word?"

"Guess you'll just have to wait and see." Mystique teased, smirking as her hands were unbound.

Amy pulled away and they stared at each other. "Are you really pregnant?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not," The petite woman shrugged, handing her the taser, "hit me in the back of the neck with this and I'll go out like a light."

Mystique did it quickly, but stood over the girl –who looked to be barely eighteen, if she was a day- for a few minutes. Unsure what to do, she silently put a hand on her limp shoulder.

"Thanks, kid." With those final words, Mystique left the plane.

It was the last mission Amelia Allerdyce was ever welcomed on.

**A/N**: I'd really like to hear some feedback on this chapter, because it's a huuuuge development, at least in my own puny little mind.


	4. A History of Arson

/-**Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1986**-/

"You know Fred, there's this nifty little thing called chewing. You should really try it sometime; I hear it works wonders for your digestion."

Dukes didn't spare Wade so much as a glance as he answered, "bigger bites taste better."

"That's true," Amy nodded from her seat next to the imposingly large man. She took a bite of her apple, "but maybe you should slow down."

Deadpool watched with a smirk as Fred did as he was told. "Mama's boy."

"Shut yer mouth, Wilson, nothin' wrong with followin' suggestions from a lady."

"Thank you, Fred."

"No problem, darlin'." He patted her head as softly as he could, which was still rather vicious, due to the weight of his appendage.

"Aw," Wade cooed, "you two are adorable. When's the wedding?"

"Shut yer mouth, Wilson."

Amy giggled softly and took another bite of her apple. She met Wade's eyes across the breakfast table, "Play nice."

"Don't know how you put up with 'im," Fred muttered, standing as his watch beeped. "Ya could do better."

"I know," The couple chorused. The man left the room with a head shake.

The Merc with the Mouth nudged his foot with hers, "you know?"

"Of course I know," She smirked at him, lifting the cup of coffee to her lips. "People tell me that all the time."

His eyes darkened, but remained playful. "Coffee stunts your growth you know."

"Is that right?"

"Mhm," He leaned over the table, "it's probably why you're only- what? Four foot nine?"

"Perhaps." His warm breathe hit her face and she nuzzled her nose with his. "I'm five three."

"Aw," Wade caught her lips in a soft kiss. "Big difference."

"Do you really have to do that right there?" They separated at Wraith's condescending voice. "We eat here."

"Well, we _were_ eating before Dukes gave us a little peek at what he was eating." The sandy haired man shook his head, "honestly, you'd think he was raised in a barn the way he chews."

Amelia just smiled and hopped off the stool. She had just grabbed the coffee pot when Victor and Logan stumbled in. The younger headed straight for the fridge, offering a gruff "Mornin'," to them, before pulling out some bacon.

Victor was content to crack his knuckles audibly before saying anything at all. Wade winced, "well." He shot a look to his lady friend as she poured the new comers a cup of coffee each, "that was disturbing."

"Speakin' of disturbing," Victor ran his eyes over the woman's form as she set the cup in front of him with a minor look of concern. "Why's yer file call you Arson?"

There was an interlude of tense, strained silence before a low burbling sound was added into the kitchen's dead air. Amy's eyes hazed over as the coffee in the pot began to simmer in her hand.

"Now, Ames, let's not do anything irrational-" Wade flinched as the glass shattered from the bulb of the pot. The plastic handle melting in her hands.

"I'll kill him." She growled, throwing the remnants on the floor as she turned from the group.

"Ames! _Amy_! That'd be kind of irrational!" Her love interest shrieked, running after her, "_Amy!"_

-/**San** **Francisco, California, 2004**/-

None of the X-Men, at least none of the older X-Men, were surprised when John left.

Just like the teen had expected.

_They always expected the worst from me_, he mused one night, maybe three months after joining Magneto's cause. But now he knew why.

His Parents. He didn't know all the details yet, but he knew enough. Like who his father was, or more accurately, what his father did. Wade Wilson was a mercenary. He killed people, and if he wasn't killing people he was rounding them up.

For what? He wasn't sure yet, but Mystique had promised him she'd get him a file on Wilson in the next few weeks. John got the feeling she was hiding some things about them, but Magneto was more then eager to oblige him with answers to his endless questions.

Pyro tapped a spoon against a bowl, a few other mutants surrounding them who had recently joined there cause. "So," He met the elderly man's eyes, "who was Wilson rounding up?"

"Mutants." Erik replied, smirking as a few others tuned into their conversation, "he was an especially eager solider. One of Stryker's finest."

"Stryker?" A girl asked. She had peroxide blonde hair and angry eyes, "as in William Stryker?"

"That's the one, my dear."

Her grey eyes set on John, "You must have meant Wade Wilson then."

"Yeah, so?" The teen sat up straighter as she scoffed.

"Why are you wasting your time learning about that douche?"

Magneto cleared his throat subtly, drawing their attention back to him. "You knew of him?"

"Of course!" She said, her tone harsh. "He's responsible for abducting half the mutant population on Three Mile Island."

John's heart sunk, "That's where they experiment on mutants, right?"

Another scoff, "duh."

"What's your name, child?"

"Flash." She told them, head held high.

"And what can you do?"

"I can give people flashes of memory when I touch them, I can see their past, or when I touch objects. I can see its history."

"A rather unique talent," Their leader told her, ignoring the still toiling boy next to him. "I suppose if I gave you a few…personal items, you could help the young Allerdyce-"

"As in Amelia Allerdyce?" Flash asked, the disgust back in her voice.

"That's one the one," Pyro replied stoically.

"Help him figure out his personal history," Erik finished.

She agreed, seeming eager to clue in on any more information about the corrupt pair. Although, she swore to keep what ever information she found to herself.

But John wasn't paying attention. He knew why his teachers had been so scared of him all those years.

Magneto wasn't the bad guy- His parents were.

/-**Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1986**-/

"Don't touch me!"

"Ames, babe, just think this through!"

Amy's hands met his chest in a hard shove, "I don't need to think! I'm sick of thinking! It's time to act!"

Wade grabbed her hands, and pulled them down. "Amy."

"He had no right to show them those files, Wade!"

"I know." He nodded patiently.

"He told me what went on in Kansas wouldn't be part of my record! That it was before my time here!"

"I know." Wade repeated, ignoring the steam that came off her palms as it burned off a layer of skin. "He had no right. He's an idiot, but you know what will happen if you try to fight him."

She was still shaking. Her eyes hazed over and tear filled as he went on, slowly, and with complete stillness. "He'll lock you up. And he'll experiment on you, just like he does the others because you won't cooperate." Wade let one of her hands drop, and he pulled her head to his chest as he murmured, "I really don't want to lock you up, Ames."


	5. Not Knowing Your Children

-/**San** **Francisco, California, 2004**/-

Mystique was at the foot of his bed when he woke up.

Needless to say, Pyro was a little startled. "What the fuck are you doing!"

"Watching you sleep." She replied with an indifferent shrug. "You're a drooler. Got those files, if you still want them."

He glanced at her arms, a small box being held loosely. "I want them." He sat up a bit, and winced as the wood banged against his knee. She had tossed it at him with no warning.

John's brown eyes narrowed at her form as she retreated, leaving him alone with the box. Muttering under his breathe about the blue mutant's crazed hormonal imbalance, he shoved the cardboard lid off it.

Only two thin files lay inside it, as well as two video cassettes.

He quirked a brow as he picked one of them up, but put them aside for the moment. He' had to find a VCR to watch them, anyway. Plucking a file up, he settled back against the wall before flipping it open, and getting the first glimpse of his father.

_Wade Wilson_

_Birth Date: Unknown_

_Code Name: Deadpool_

_Origin: Unknown_

_Specialties: Healing factor, has displayed expert levels of efficiency in swordsmanship and marksmanship. The subject appears to be quite gifted multilingualism wise._

_Weaknesses: Inability to socialize with out dysfunction. Displays ego centric personality disorder, and has little tolerance for other subjects with the exception of Amelia Allerdyce. _

John skimmed, and re-skimmed the information. His mother was a weakness? He clicked his tongue as he lifted up the photo that was slipped inside the file. Wilson was a handsome man, with dark brown eyes and hair, and a tan skin tone.

Pyro supposed he looked more like his mother, but hints of the man were there. In his lips, and jaw. He slid it back inside before opening the other file.

A more mature looking Amy looked back at him, this time in color.

_Amelia Allerdyce_

_Birth Date: October 17__th__, 1962_

_Code Name: Arson_

_Origin: Kansas City, Kansas_

_Specialties: Pyrokinesis, a level two healing factor._

_Weaknesses: Subject seems to suffer from low self esteem, and is often insubordinate due to ethical dilemmas. Subject cannot function without constant reassurance that Team X is the proper place for her._

The teen tilted his head, wondering what that meant. He stared at the picture a long moment. She didn't look…happy. She seemed almost discontent, with her eyes narrowed subtly, almost too subtly to detect, at the camera. Lips pursed in a threatening manner, _this_ Amy seemed no more better off then the small girl from the newspaper clippings he had stowed away in his wallet.

/-**Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1986**-/

"Wade." Amy warned, eying the man at the end of her bed, "I know what you're thinking and don't."

"Don't what?" He teased, running a finger up her leg as he moved closer.

She kicked at him. The smirk on her face gave him reassurance that it was okay. "You know what."

"Come on, it's my birthday."

"Your birthday's not 'til June."

Wade shrugged, grinning as he lay beside her. "It's almost my birthday."

"It's _almost_ Christmas."

"Well, then, come on, it's Christmas, Ames." He kissed the side of her neck, "get in the spirit."

Giggling femininely, she shifted a little closer to him. A finger stroked his cheek delicately, and he leaned into her touch while making his way down her throat.

-/**San** **Francisco, California, 2004**/-

A knock came upon Pyro's door, and before he even had a chance to answer it, Flash was poking her head into his room.

"What'd you want?"

She smirked, holding up a VCR. "I come baring gifts."

He eyed her warily a moment. "But what do you want?"

"Just an opportunity to learn about some of the most heartless, maniacal mercenaries of our time." Flash almost teased, but her gaze hinted at her seriousness. When John remained silent, she was quick to snap at him, "you want the VCR or what?"

"Yeah, I want it." Grinding his teeth he took the device from her, and began hooking it up to the small television on his night stand. "What ever you see doesn't leave this room, got me, kid?"

She scoffed, "I promised Magneto I wouldn't say anything, and I won't- these the tapes?"

Her eyes glazed over as she touched one of them; pictures and sounds swirling in her head.

"_Agent Wilson, you're up."_

"_Wish me luck babe."_

"_You don't need luck."_

"_I like luck."_

Flash came back in to the world just in time to see go to take the tape from her. "Wait." She grabbed his wrist, and the same visions flickered in his own mind before ceasing altogether.

His hand shook weakly, but he kept silent as he took the tape from her. So she spoke instead. "You've been looking for them a long time, huh?"

"All my life," Pyro muttered bitterly, popping the cassette in and dropped back onto the bed. Flash took a seat next to him just as the image of a young man, but still older then the both of them appeared on screen.

The girl tilted her head, "who's that?"

"Wade Wilson."

"No it isn't."

He paused it quickly, the man's sword stopping mid swing. "Yes it is."

"No it isn't, trust me, I've never seen that man before." Flash looked at him. "I don't know who that is, but that is not Weapon X."

"Weapon X?" John asked.

"Yeah, Wade Wilson's code name."

The young man shook his head, "no," he snatched the files off nightstand. "His code name was Deadpool."

She remained skeptical, "you're sure?"

"I'm positive."

"Well, okay, if you're sure…"

"I'm sure." He repeated. A jab with his index finger turned the tape back on.

"_All I ever wanted was to travel to far off exotic places_," The sword swung menacingly in the handsome man's hand, and he replaced them with almost gentle precision back into their holsters on his back. The two teens leaned a little closer to the screen enrapt by his breezy tone. "_Meet new and exciting people_…"

Wade's voice remained almost emotionless, but not quite as he hands clasped in front of him. "_And kill them._"

A shudder ran down Pyro's spine at his father's chilling tone. This wasn't exactly what he had been expecting. The date in the corner reading Sept. 1985, only a few years before he was born.

The face on the screen smirked, "so _I became a mercenary_." Brown eyes stayed dull as he introduced himself. "_My_ _name is Wade Wilson. And I love what I do._"

The image flickered, and began skipping. The pair let out a breathe neither realize they'd been holding, a moment too soon perhaps.

A new voice cut into their ears as he asked Deadpool about what he thinks of his career choice.

"_Well, I'm sure my mother certainly would've been proud; if she wasn't you know, dead._" The man smirked, the deadly weapon back turning in his hand.

"And you don't have any repercussions about it?"

A shrug, "_well, I'm sure we'll all go straight to hell for this_." The blades swung a little faster, "_maybe someplace warmer_."

"Are the living quarters to your satisfaction? Your roommates are… agreeable?"

Wade grinned, "_if you're gonna ask about Amy just ask_."

"Are the two of you involved in a romantic relationship?"

"_Oh, well, sir you know I'm not the type to kiss and_ _tell_," He paused, quirking a brow with a grin on his face, "_Why? She something about me_?"

There was a murmur of annoyance behind the camera and Wade pointed an accusing finger at the man who was speaking, "_she did_!"

"Wow," Flash muttered, "your dad was kind of…"

"Annoying?"

"Hot."

Pyro pursed his lips and glanced at her as the tape began skipping again. "I thought he was a heartless, killing machine?"

"A heartless killing machine with nice biceps." She admitted, smirking as she glanced back at the screen. Her raised brow gave away her shock to the new image. "What's that?"

An older, but not much older, looking Wade Wilson was staring directly into the camera-but something seemed off, in comparison to the last bit of film. For starters, it didn't appear to be in any kind of base, rather a bed room. Dark bags were heavy under the man's eyes and his skin a sickly pale.

"_Hi. You don't know me. But if what Victor says is true, I'm your dad_." John's heart stopped in his chest, and Flash cleared her throat.

"Maybe I should go."

He nodded, pausing the tape until she was out of sight.

Wade's voice flooded back into the room. "_But I don't think we'll ever meet, because by the time you're born," _He stared into the camera desperately, struggling to give some kind of answer.

"_I'll be dead_."

A/N: Cliff hanger! Tell me what you think! This one was longer then I expected to make it, but for the sake of plot pushing it needed to be…everyone love Wade's biceps, and yes I got the quote from the commercial.


	6. Denial

/-**Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1987**-/

Wade stared at the doctor. "You're sure? One hundred percent?"

"I ran the test six times, Mr. Wilson." The lab rat flipped open his medical file, "it appears that the intense drug training you've been undergoing to improve your healing ability, has rendered you almost completely with out white blood cells."

"So it's treatable, right? I mean, you got like, test tubes and shit that can fix me up, right?" The young man asked, eager for some kind of reassurance that he would be alright.

The doctor sighed, "I'm afraid the drugs have speed up the cancer's acceleration dramatically Mr. Wilson."

"So? I mean, my healing factor-"

"Can't keep up." He closed the file, watching the man's face fall. "Even with intense treatment, it's doubtful you'll live past Easter."

-/-/-

"Wade?"

"Mhm?"

"What're you doing?" Amy giggled quietly as he tightened his arms around her. His chest forced her back against him, and he rested his head contently on her own. Sighing deeply, Wade rocked her gently from side to side. "Wade?" She repeated, a little less amused now, "you're scaring me."

His arms tightened around her, but he for once remained silent. At least until she broke his hold and turned to face him, eyes wide with concern. "What's wrong?"

Light brown eyes locked on her face, his gaze caressing her features tenderly as his finger brushed away a bit of her bangs. "Nothing," he murmured. A ginger smile rose of his lips, and his hand shook slightly. "I love you, Ames."

She smirked, "I know. Now what's wrong?"

"You know?" The tone of his voice suggested he was annoyed, or maybe hurt, Amy couldn't tell. "You don't-"

"What's wrong, Wilson?" Her hand smoothed his hair, raking through the dark locks before wrapping her arm around his waist.

Instead of responding, Wade backed her up against her bookshelf. Her back hit it, and he was quick to capture her lips with his, in an exhausted, chaste kiss. Running her hands up his sides, Amy peered up at him.

The next kiss they shared was anything but chaste, and they clung to each other with a desperation neither was expecting.

**-/San Francisco, California, 2004/-**

Pyro let out a stutter of breathe as Wade recited the events that unfolded the months before his birth.

"_Your mother's gone, but that's probably for the best_." Wade smiled weakly, _"I don't think I'd make a very good father anyway. But Amy'll be a good mother, although I wouldn't piss her off because she'd be liable to burn the whole goddamn house down_." He chuckled as tears rimmed his brown eyes. "_You should listen to her, she's smart. Smarter then me anyway, and from what I can tell, she's probably capable of love. I mean, she must've loved you if she just ran off like that_."

His eyes glazed over and John tilted his head as his father continued with a rather odd train of thought, "_unless she's gone to sell you to the kiddy porn people, just to spite me for that one time I said she was bad luck_."

Pyro clicked his lighter subconsciously. He didn't like this. It unnerved him. Left a cold hole in his chest.

If Wade was still at the base when he was born…where did his mother run off to?

-/** Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1988**/-

"Does anyone else smell that?" Jimmy asked looking around the room curiously. A few of the men inhaled, but told him they didn't. "It's kinda like a sweet smell? You really don't smell it?"

"It's Arson," Victor told him, moving one of the cards in his hand. "We'll talk later."

"You gotta stop callin' her that," Wraith warned, "she doesn't like that."

"She don't like lots'a things."

"True, but when she gets pissed off, Wade gets pissed off, and he might fuck around about a lot of things, but he doesn't fuck around when it comes to Amy."

Creed rolled his eyes and threw his cards down. "Thanks for the speech, Wraith. Jim?"

His brother looked up, still trying to get a lock on the scent. "Yeah?"

"Kitchen."

The wandered into the designated area to find the woman leafing through a magazine with disinterest. She didn't look up when they came in, but she certainly glanced up when she realized Logan was sniffing her.

"Um…can I help you?" She asked, slightly alarmed by his odd behavior. His brother had been doing this to her as well, but at least he had only done it the one time, from across the breakfast table.

"You smell different."

"Bad different?"

"No," He paused. "Just different."

Amy didn't say anything about that, choosing instead to simple thank him and flip to the next page of her magazine.

Victor rolled his eyes, grabbing onto Jimmy's arm and guiding him out onto the patio. He shut the glass door firmly behind him, and turned away from it. "She's gone and got 'erself knocked up."

"What?"

"Mhm, same scent ma had when she was knocked up with you."

Logan shook his head, "you're sure?"

"Positive."

The younger grit his teeth, "she can't stay here."

"I know."

"You know what Stryker'll do to her if he finds out about this?"

Creed shrugged, uncaring, "probably cut 'er open and see how her healing ability would take it."

"Well, yeah or you know, steal her baby."

"You mean kidnap."

"It's not a kid yet, Vic."

They stared at each other before let out a simultaneous, "_idiot_."

"So, what do we do about it?"

"Nothin', it's none'a our business, runt, just leave it alone."

Jimmy's eyes widened, "you can't mean that."

"Sure I can, she's Stryker's girl, he can do what he wants with her." Victor shrugged indifferently, "I'm sure he'd be more than happy to off another mutant."

"What about Wade?"

"What _about_ Wade? Does he seem the responsible type to you? Like he'd _want_ to be a father?"

Logan faltered, shaking his head, "I've got to tell 'er."

"Then tell 'er," Her brother smirked, flashing a sharp canine, "but it'll be your ass."

Sighing, the younger marched back into the kitchen. The woman was still peering down at the pages, only looking up when he put a hand on her shoulder.

"We have to talk."

-/-/-

"Pregnant?" She repeated, tilting her head. "What do you mean, _pregnant_?"

"What'd you mean what'd I mean?" Logan snapped, "I mean yer knocked up."

"Oh god," Amy covered her mouth. "oh god, oh god-"

"Now, Amelia, let's not get-"

"Oh god, oh god!"

"Hysterical." He finished watching her slid down the wall as the salty scent of tears wafted through his nose. "Come on, girlie, it won't be so-"

"Won't be so what?" She snapped, "do you have any idea what'll happen to me if I stay here?"

Logan shook his head, "come on, you're on Team X. You really think Stryker would betray one of his own?"

Her dark brown eyes locked on his with disbelief. "Are you fucking kidding me? He jumps at every chance he gets to learn more about the mutant gene. And what better way to research it then get it while it's still developing?" She spat, crossing her arms over her stomach. "I can't stay here."

"Where can ya go? Ya got no family, no friends-what?" He watched her eyes widen.

"I know how I'm gonna get out." Amy stood quickly, and clasped her hands roughly down on his shoulders. "You need to promise you won't tell anyone about this, Jimmy."

"Amy-"

"Promise me."

He bit his tongue, admitting "Victor knows."

"Then get him to stay quiet, just for a day or two." She pleaded, and he gave in. Her lips pecked his cheek. "Thanks."


	7. An Opportunity

**-/San Francisco, California, 2004/-**

Pyro lay back on his bed, staring intently at the white ceiling above him.

He could honestly say he hadn't been expecting that. That his mother had just abandoned his father in his time of need. That she had just run off and left him to die.

It made him feel better. That he wasn't the only one left behind. A twinge of resentment settled in his chest towards Amy Allerdyce.

_Selfish cunt_, he cursed, shaking his head. Guess maternal instinct wasn't her strong point, pawning me off on Mystique and who knows what other kind of-

"Hey."

Speak of the devil. John looked up. "What?"

"Watch the other tape yet?"

"No."

She tilted her head, yellow eyes glowing slightly in the dim room. "Why not?"

"Don't feel like it."

"Why _not_?" Mystique repeated with an edge to her voice. "Do you know how long it took me to track down those tapes?"

"Why'd you have to track them down?" He asked, sitting up, "I figured you just picked them up at a base or something…"

"No, I had to go through three of your old sitters." The woman moved gracefully across the room, and plucked the tape up with nimble fingers. Twirling it, she smirked. "Aren't you the least bit curious about what's on it?"

John scoffed, spitting out; "Probably just a message from the mother of the year."

"Close." She waved it tantalizingly in front of his nose.

Attention peaked, he reached for the tape.

-/**Three Mile Island, Military Base, 1988**/-

Amy picked at her nails outside his door. Heaving a sigh, she winced as it creaked open, the cool knob soothing her sweaty palms.

"Wade?" She whispered.

He didn't move, but he did answer her. "Yeah?"

"Can I stay with you?"

Rolling over, he shifted away from the wall to pull his comforter back. A weak smile was offered to him, and he returned it with minor difficulty. The woman slid under the covers and rested her head on his shoulder. Neither mutant said anything, as they spent their first night, and last night, sharing a bed without sex attached.

-/-/-

Sometime around five a.m, Wade slipped soundlessly from the bed. His eyes caressed her soft features, his fingers lightly following the same path before he got changed. Kissing the top of her head gently, he left for his final mission before chemo.

Not that Amy knew this when she stopped Wraith in the hallway forty minutes later. Her hand hit his chest roughly as he tried to pass her.

"Look, girl, just 'cause I'm up early, doesn't mean I'm staying up."

"No. You're getting me off this island."

Wraith laughed, "what?"

"I said," Her hand lit up, and her eyes darkened, "you're getting me off this fucking island."

He smirked at her. "What, you think that's gonna-"

The flame jumped, growing until it almost reached the ceiling. He gulped visibly, and she extinguished the flame.

"Come on," Amy grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards the door. John ran his eyes up and down her body suspiciously. "Where we goin'?"

"_You_ are not going any where, _you_ are just getting me off this god forsaken rock then you are going to pretend like this never happened while I hightail it to Mexico."

"Mexico?" Wraith echoed, now following her of his own accord. "Why're you going to Mexico?"

_I'm not but that's what you'll relay back to Stryker now isn't it?_ She thought bitterly, but gave a simple, "family emergency."

"You have family in Mexico?"

"Yep."

Wraith grabbed her arm, stopping her in her place just outside the gate. "What's got you so scared, Allerdyce?"

"Family emergency." She repeated, not meeting his eyes. "Now get me out of here."

Wordlessly, the man wrapped his arms around her petite frame, and teleported her off the Island. He steadied her when she stumbled, holding tightly onto her shoulders. Amy's eyes stayed squeezed shut momentarily, but she was soon enough able to stand on her own.

"You gonna be okay?"

She nodded.

"You're sure?  
Another nod.  
"Fine. Good luck, kid." Wraith patted her shoulder before disappearing from sight, leaving the petite woman in the woods.

-/**Las Vegas, Nevada, 1988**/-

_Three Days Later_

Amy worked a kink out of her shoulders as she stood on a front porch.

A front porch she had never expected to return to, but one where she knew she would be welcome on. Three times before a bright (green) face opened it, grinning like a little boy who'd just been told the circus was coming to town.

"Amelia Allerdyce!"

Not being able to stop herself, Amy beamed back at his unique features. "Leon Alexander."

He opened the door wider for her, glancing around to see if any of his neighbors noticed- if they did, they didn't seem to care, already having adjusted to the man's odd look and eccentric, almost nomadic behavior.

He slipped his arms around her waist, and hugged her tightly to his chest. "Everything okay, creampuff?" Leon pulled away so she was at arms length.

There was no hiding from an empath, she supposed. "I'm pregnant."

He rolled his eyes, "well I know _that_, but what's wrong?"

"I need a place to stay." Amy confessed, brushing her bangs back with a sigh.

"Again, I know, but what's _wrong_?"

"I'm a homeless runaway with a baby on the way."

Leon nodded, red eyes understanding and soft. "Sounds like a Madonna song."

"Don't be an asshole."

He chuckled, "I'm not." His large hands settled on her narrow shoulders. "You know you can stay as long as you like, puddin' pop, but you sure I'm the best person to go incognito with?" He motioned to his face, the small horns and eyes specifically.

"Yes." Amy nodded with complete seriousness. "I have complete faith in you."

Flattered, but sensing the truth, Leon agreed. "You and you're little bundle of sin can stay."

Throwing her arms around him, she murmured her thanks.

**-/San Francisco, California, 2004/-**

Mystique left the room as Pyro put the tape in. Crossing his arms over his chest with distain, he ground his teeth.

What the hell could be so important about this tape? Mystique didn't give a shit about anything (except apparently, her hard work going to waste), much less his personal happiness.

Joyful shrieks filled the air, and John's eyes filled up with tears as pictures began to dance on the screen.

_Amy leaned over to blow another raspberry on the infant's stomach as it screeched with laughter, it's tiny hands curling and pulling at her longish hair. She grinned down at it, inhaling deeply before blowing the air on to its belly. More shrill sounds of joy emitted from the three month old as they paused to catch their breath. _

_The camera shook slightly, a cool, but amused, baritone voice spoke from behind it. "So, Amy, how long can you stay?"_

_Her smile dimmed slightly, but her eyes remained blissful as she kept them on the squirming baby. "Maybe a week." She scooped the baby up as she leaned back against the leather couch. "Isn't that right, Johnnycakes?"_

John's heart skipped in his chest as he watched his mother go on.

_Her hand lit up, and she wiggled her fingers in front of him, making little gasps of wonderment, to the infant's amusement. Small fingers reached out for them, the flames almost seeming to pull toward him, but she always extinguished them before the got to close. "Nah-nah-nah, little man. Fire's hot." The camera zoomed in on the little one's pout and his mother mimicked it back at him. _

"_How's Wade?" The voice asked, moving so the speaker was sitting next to her._

"_I'm not sure, they don't let me see him anymore."_

"_I'm sorry."_

_A demure smile, "not your fault, Apollo. I should've been more thorough with my contract."_

"_Stryker ever find out about these little visits?"_

"_Nah." Amy brushed the infant's light hair back, "probably for the best he doesn't find out about anything."_

The screen darkened and a voice face came on the screen.

This time it was of an older man, a more sinister looking man, with a smirk of his scarred face. "_Hello, Mr. Allerdyce. You don't know me. But I'd like to know you, and I'm sure one day I will..._" John felt a chill go down his spine as the man's smirk stretched into a wicked smile. "_My name is Colonel William Stryker, and if you'd like to keep your parents alive, you'll do exactly as I say_."


	8. Who The Good Guys Are

**-/San Francisco, California, 2004/-**

Naturally the first thing John did was show Magneto.

The elderly man smirked, "honestly, haven't you ever heard of a ploy before, Pyro?"

"He has my parents!" The young man snapped. "Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Apparently, you're parents were working for Stryker, at least if what your mother said was true," More experience hands folded over the tape, "how can you possibly want to rush into action with no battle plan? It wouldn't be a very smart move on our part."

Pyro's jaw clenched and he rounded on Flash, who was sitting innocently in the corner of Erik's office. "You said they experiment on mutants there, right? On Three Mile Island?"

"Yeah, but that was twenty-"

"They could still be doing it, right?"

She shrugged, "I guess but-"

"Then I say it's time to liberate the army we need!" John looked back at the older man, who seemed rather impressed by his passion, "you said yourself the Brotherhood's in need of more soldiers, of more people, and what better mutants then the ones who've been fucked around with by the government?"

Erik sat pensively a moment. John had a point, as reckless it was. "You know, you're right."

"I am?" Pyro blinked in surprise before nodding, "I am."

"But we'll need to plan, of course," Magneto, stood, adjusting his jacket. "Gather up our troops, get in contact with our allies. Can you be patient until then?"

John held his gaze with unwavering confidence. "Yes sir, I can."

"Good." A smirk rose on the man's lips, "we'll begin training in the morning."

-/**Manchester**, **New York, 2004**/-

"And you're sure you've thought this out to the fullest degree, Erik?"

"Of course, Charles. You really think I'd be so irresponsible as to leave such a large decision in the hands of amateurs?"

Xavier sighed, "I suppose it is time those poor people got their freedom back."

"Personally I think it should've been done years ago."

"Why do I get the feeling the young John Allerdyce has more to do with this idea then you're telling me?"

Magneto chuckled, "it was his idea. Apparently Stryker sent him a message."

"What?" The Professor gasped, sitting up straighter, "how did he find-"

"By video tape, of course."

A sigh of relief was heard on the other end of the phone. "Thank god. Leon would never forgive me if anything had happened to him."

"It seems most of Pyro's caregivers have ended up in the Conlon's hands, haven't they?"

"It seems they have."

"You owe that boy a family, Charles, best we not keep them apart much longer."

The Professor placed the receiver back on its hook. Rubbing his eyes, he supposed his former comrade was right. He did owe that boy a family.

If he'd allowed Amy sanctuary all those years ago, perhaps this all could've been avoided.

-/**Manchester**, **New York, 1990/-**

If there was one thing Charles Xavier never expected to see, it was Amy Allerdyce standing outside his door, soaking wet from the rain with a dozing toddler on her hip.

She offered him a weak, crooked smile. "Hi."

"Amy." The Professor blinked, motioning her into his office, "what a… pleasant surprise."

The boy squirmed uncomfortably as she went to set him down, so she prompted instead to let him lay against her chest when she sat. "You're a terrible liar, Professor."

He didn't respond to that, instead choosing to ask, "Whose this little one then?"

"John." She smiled, a full one this time, brushing some of the baby's damp hair back.

"And how old is he?"

"Almost twenty months."

The man offered the infant a despondent glance. "And I suppose his father is also involved with Team X?"

Amy's eyes narrowed subtly as she pulled John a little closer to her chest. "You suppose correct."

Xavier let out a deep, irritated sigh. "Is there something you needed, Miss Allerdyce?"

"A place to stay." She admitted sheepishly. Her dark eyes followed him as he wheeled around to his filing cabinet.

"I was under the impression that you were staying with one," He popped the drawer open. Inside lay a long since discarded file, "Leon 'Apollo' Alexander."

"I was," Her gaze dropped, "but-"

"Stryker?"

A nod.

"Amelia-" The Professor started, but stopped mid sentence, "you know how dangerous it would be for my students to have you in attendance?"

"Stryker won't find us, I swear, I just need a little time to throw him off, put out some false signals-"

Her tone was so desperate, he was almost sorry to cut her off. "I'm not talking about Stryker, Miss Allerdyce."

The boy cooed, readjusting himself in her lap as she stared at Xavier. Her ips slightly parted and eyes radiating hurt. "What?"

"I have no reason to believe you have any better control over your abilities as you had when you are a child," he crossed his hands in lap. "I simply can't take the risk. As for the boy-"

"John." She corrected quietly.

"As for John, I would recommend handing him over to child services." Xavier watched her take a deep breathe before going on, "or of course, I would be more then happy to-"

"Go fuck yourself, Charles." Standing quickly, she put John back on her hip as Amy shook her head at him. "You say you're all about helping mutants, but in reality you only want to help them when it's convenient."

"Now, Amelia-"

The woman slammed the door as she exited.

"Amy?" Cyclops blinked in shock as she passed him, one hand aflame and the other holding a child to her petite frame. "What're-ah!"

He flinched away from her as a fire ball was thrown his way. "Beat it, One Eye!"

**-/San Francisco, California, 2006/-**

Two years past, and soon enough Magneto was confident that they had built up the proper troops to have a full, successful assault on Three Mile Island.

Xavier tried to persuade him into waiting a little longer, bringing his followers to New York to train in the Danger Room, but Erik seemed rather cynical about that notion.

"Train with your X-Men? I doubt the Brotherhood would be very interested in that."

"Why not? It's a perfect opportunity to learn hand to hand combat." Charles pressed over the phone. "Not to mention have some cooperation between allies, get them used to each other.

A sigh radiated on the other end. "I suppose, but you understand that if we are to follow through with this little…arrangement, the Brotherhood will remain under my control. Just as the X-Men shall remain under yours."

"I understand."

"Very well." Erik glanced at Mystique, who smirked boldly back at him. "I'll speak with my troops in the morning."

-/The Next Morning/-

The only person who seemed genuinely upset seemed to be Pyro, who was fuming quietly in the back seat next to Flash.

"So, what's Xavier like?"

"Like a egomaniacal douche bag who thinks he knows what's best."

The girl's light brows raised, "sounds cheery."

"Damn cheery," he muttered.

-/**Manchester**, **New York, 2006**/-

"You invited him back?"

"Now, Bobby, let's not-" Jean started but the young man stormed out of the room before she could finish. She shot the Professor a reassuring look, "don't worry, he'll come around."

"I'm sure he will." Charles replied, "but I don't John will."

She chuckled, "good point." Jean ran a hand through her red hair before sighing, "are you sure this is a good idea, Professor, I mean, can Magneto be trusted?"

"I have no doubt in my mind that while Erik's…theatrical ways often get him into trouble….he has a genuine concern for the mutants on Three Mile Island." He nodded, "this time I believe he has honorable intentions."

"If you're sure..."

"You should prepare the Danger Room. They'll be here shortly."


	9. What My Parents Gave Me

**/-Three Mile Island, Experimentation Wing, 2006-/ **

"Amy? Amy, darlin', wake up. They'll be here soon."

Leon shook her shoulder lightly, his head throbbing from the morning's injections. The prone brunette remain limp on the floor, not moving as a few of the others began to rouse from their drug induced states. "Amy." He repeated, trying to shake the fog from his red eyes. "Amy, come on."

Her senses perked, and he watched her aura slowly fade back into reality.

"Amy." His hand was large on her shoulder, and he helped her into a sitting position as the silver drained from her irises and shifted back into brown. "You okay?"

"Huh? I guess." Her brown bangs fell in her face and she was quick to push them away. "Let's just go."

She let him help her up before detangling herself from him. A few others remained unconscious, before no one paid any mind to this all too common occurrence. The cell they were in was more of a cage, being watched by various cameras and scientists who peered down on them like the test subjects they were with little empathy.

Some of them were volunteers. Most of them were hostages.

Some, like Amy and Leon, were here by contract. Amy agreed to stay trapped like a rat with the assurance that her son, St. John, would remain completely oblivious to the island's existence, much less wind up inside its prison walls. Leon was under contract that, so long that he cooperated, his family (a group of people that hadn't spoken to him in almost thirty years, with the exception of his sister) would be kept safe.

Amy looked down at the thick white material that coated her arms. Flame retardant material. It wasn't there just for them to control _when_ and _if_ she used her powers. Oh no, she knew it was there so she knew they had complete control over _her_.

Her head rose just in time to see Leon's bloodshot ruby glare turn into one of focused determination.

"What's wrong?"

His chin tilted to the left as he cocked an ear. "Something's coming."

-/**Manchester**, **New York, 2006**/-

Icy blue eyes surveyed him with distrust as their owner addressed him. "Pyro."

"Drake." John replied, not tearing his eyes from Bobby's, even as the older gentlemen began to converse.

"Erik." Xavier smiled, "good to see you."

"Likewise, Charles, but I'm afraid we'll have to act rather quickly if this plan of ours is going to succeed."

"Why?" Logan cut in, earning a glance from the others.

Magneto smirked, "because one of the mutants on Three Mile Island is already aware of our plans."

"Apollo." Ororo and Scott chorused. They shot each a confused look as the elderly mutant nodded.

"That's correct. It's only a matter of time before Stryker pries his way into Mr. Alexander's head and…compromise the man's ethical stance on staying quiet," His eyes shifted over to Pyro. "Where will the Brotherhood be staying?"

"John-"

"Pyro," Flash corrected, shifting uncomfortably between the X-Men, dodging the glares from Bobby and his girlfriend, Rouge, she cracked her knuckles. Her eyes dropped to Rouge gloves, and she lifted a brow at them, but knew when to stop.

The boy, man rather, smirked in response. Putting his hand on Flash's back, he nodded toward the exit. "How 'bout a tour?"

Her green eyes rolled but she followed him out of the room, not realizing Iceman hot on their trail.

"What're you even doing here, John?"

The young couple stopped.

"You're not welcome here any more." Drake spat, hurt radiating in his eyes, "we trusted you and you just ran off with _him_! After everything he's done-"

"Everything he's done?" Pyro screamed, turning on the X-Man as Flash backed away, "you don't know shit about what Magneto's done for me! He's given me everything I could ask for- power, a home, a family-"

"Your family wouldn't want you murdering people for fun, John!"

Pyro chuckled bitterly, "that's _exactly_ what they'd want Drake."

Bobby faltered, "what's that suppose to mean?"

"It means all those times I got in trouble. _Hurt_ people. Killed people." John approached him. Standing toe to toe with the boy, his smirk widened. "It was in my blood, Bobby. Chaos and fire is _in my blood_."

Ice man shook his head, "whatever he told you wrong, you can't trust anything he says." His tone took an almost pleading tone, "he'll say anything to get you to stay with him, can't you see that?"

"Can't you see you're doing the exact same thing?" He chided. Flash took John's hand and led him out the back porch as the others left the office.

Her eyes snuck over to his angry features. "What was that about?"

"Nothing, old habits die hard, I guess." He flicked his lighter open. The flame danced in his palm and Flash reached out to touch it.

"You're pretty good with that thing." She complimented and could've sworn she saw a flush come over the young man's –who was rather attractive himself, now that she thought about it- cheeks.

"Yeah." John clicked his tongue, forcing the flame away from her curious fingers with almost absent minded ease. "Pretty good."

"Good enough to stay safe tomorrow?" He glanced at her worried eyes, and gave her a curt nod. She grinned with relief. "Good."

Flash jerked her head towards the school. "Now, how about that tour?"

Smirking, John took her hand again.

**/-Three Mile Island, Experimentation Wing, 2006-/ **

The woman shrieked and screamed soundlessly. The liquid flooding her lungs with every attempted breathe burned worse then the fire ever had, forcing Amy to thrash and buck against the metal straps that pinned her to the bottom of the tank.

Steam poured over the edges of it, reminiscent of a fog as the fluid reached boiling temperatures. Bubbles burst and the yellowish substance splashed over the sides.

"Subject is approaching the final stages of consciousness." Stryker glanced at the scientist on his left.

"Pull her up." He ordered, and the young man promptly obeyed. Walking around him briskly, the Colonel moved to stand in front of the subject, as she was referred to.

Amy gasped and sputtered as she was tilted forward, oxygen hitting her swollen aching lungs for the first time in over twenties minutes. She retched, the dull, hot substance landing somewhere on the floor as she began to heave.

"Now that's just unladylike, Miss Allerdyce."

The small woman swallowed, eyes unfocused and narrowed at him as she murmured something weakly. The man's lips rose in amusement as he raised a hand to his eye, "what was that, Miss Allerdyce?"

"Fu-" She whimpered, her horse voice unpleasant to her own ears, "-ck, you." She sighed in exhaustion. "Sir." She added, and received some genuine joy from his enraged features.

"Drop 'er!"

The smirk remained on her face, even as she was forced back down in to the fluid.

Stryker slid the glasses back onto his face as he went back to the lanky scientist. "Progress?"

"Oh, right- just, give me a moment to pull it up, uh, sir." The young man fumbled around with his computer before answering. "Um, Subject 514-302 has had significant improvements since entering the Program. Healing factor has progressed from a level two to a level five and the Program has had marginal improvement in controlling her pyrokinetic abilities, as well as her cooperative influence in trials of X-2.0,"He snuck a gander at Stryker, who seemed rather unimpressed. "Although this is unsurprising as most subjects are unable to remain in control during these sessions."

"That's all?"

The scientist winced, "that's it, sir."

"Over fifteen years of testing and that's all you've come up with?" The man roared, earning a jump not only from the man in front of him, but a few others that surround them. "What else ya got? Theories? Assumptions? When was the last time you stuck her in with Weapon X?"

"Well, we uh-" A few more hasty, almost panicked, clicks of words on a keyboard. "We think that she- she um, her healing factor was mostly influenced by-" The man panted, eager to be away from the military man, "her pregnancy, if we had more information on it, or, maybe even the baby-"

"Working on it," Stryker snapped, "next."

"Ugh- she seems to, um, we think-" The young man swallowed looking up at the supposedly _young _woman in the tank, "her stunted appearance is probably a side effect of this."

"Good. Unsurprising, but good." He watched the young man sigh in relief. His tone remained somber and almost condescending as he asked why she hadn't been placed with Weapon X.

"Due to their history, our psychologists have deemed it…" The lab rat hesitated, "unwise."

Stryker smirked, "do it."

**-/Weapon X's Cell/-**

"Soldier?"

His head tilted up, but he remained staring at the corner he was forced into.

"You have a visitor."

Amy was shoved rather unceremoniously into the room, the white walls almost blinding her still stinging eyes. Blinking harshly she eyed the man's bare, battered back with a pang in her chest.

But she knew enough to stay quiet. He had more tattoos this time- at least, she thought they were tattoos. Thick angry black marks that twisted over various parts of his body, pinpointing certain places that either had been 'enhanced' or needed to be. Her lips quivered delicately as she noticed the dark red circle on the back of his neck.

So he hadn't been as subordinate as they thought he would be.

Closing her eyes, she sighed before moving a little closer to him. His back tensed at the sound of approaching footsteps, but he remained immobile. And as she got closer Amy realized why.

He was chained to the floor.

A cold rage went right to her core as she stared at him. Raising a shaking hand, she let it hover just above his skin. "Wade?" She murmured, watching as every muscle in his ashy body seemed to tense. His shoulder was cool to the touch, too cool. If he hadn't twitched away from her, she'd assumed him dead, regardless of the private room he was occupying.

"Wade, can you hear me?"

A weak nod, but again he didn't look away from the wall. His brown eyes closed. The man relished in the first human contact he had had in years, a simple comforting touch by an all too familiar hand. Her skin was almost painfully warm, and damp. His eyes opened as he tried to think of a reason she would be damp.

Her voice was still raspy, thick scratchy and it seemed to hang in the air around them. "Do you know who this is?"

Another nod.

"Can- can I," Amy put her head down before dropping to her knees behind him. Her hand slid from his shoulder. "Wade?" The man shifted as her warm breathe hit his neck, "do you hate me? For what I did?"

There was a long pause before he responded with a nod.

A/N: Tell me what you think, and what you think i should do about Wade/Weapon X. Your opinion is appreciated.


	10. Lovers Quarrels

Note: Yes, the chapter is choppy. It's supposed to be choppy. The next one won't be so choppy.

**/-Three Mile Island, 2006-/ **

Leon lifted his head from the dingy green cot when the buzzing started. Cocking his head to the side, he smirked widely before turning back to his ceiling.

It was only a matter of time until they were there.

_**/-/-/**_

Unable to go himself, Xavier placed all leadership responsibilities in the hands of Cyclops, who was currently leading a team of nervous mutants through the holding cells.

A few prisoners looked up curiously at the new comers, but many kept their heads down.

None of the X-Men noticed the silver seep into their irises.

**-/-/-**

"Sir? We have a breach in Sections C, E and A3!"

Stryker smirked, looking all too pleased with himself, he said, "Go to Plan X."

_**-/-/-**_

Magneto had Pyro break a small brigade into the experimentation wing, along with three other mutants. It was there job, to quite simply, take the guards out.

They did so with joviality, Multiple Man snapping necks left and right as Toad disarmed them with almost wistful ease.

The only one who seemed to have any self control was John. "Come on, quit wasting time!"

Jamie muttered something about him being a runt and having an attitude, but he followed him as he began to jog down the hall. Toad was quick to do the same.

Mystique, on the other hand, was releasing all bound mutants from a mother board in the basement of the lab.

_**-/-/-**_

Wade watched the chains clutter on to the floor with mild surprise. He remained completely still a moment before spinning around and pinning Amy to the ground.

"_You worthless little bitch!_" He screamed, watching her gasp for breathe as his hands slid over her thin throat. "_How could you?_"

Her head bounced off the concrete floor as he brought her up and slammed her down. Her hands clawed at his arms, but it was futile. A small pool of blood began to pool in her damp hair as he brought her down again, and again, her healing factor unable to keep up with his pace.

"_How could you?_" His hands slipped to her shoulders as he bent over her, leaning his head against her heaving chest. The bruises faded from her skin almost instantly, and she winced as hot tears landed on her neck. "How could you?" He repeated, choking slightly from the strenuous activity.

Amy glanced down at his scarred face, the sunken eyes and scratched up mouth. She'd been there when they sewed it up. But she and a scientist convinced them it was an impractical idea. Her fingers caressed the maimed skin. Wade peered up at her with accusing eyes.

"Answer me." He demanded, though it was weak. A thin sheen of sweat was already building on his half naked body, hinting at his exhaustion.

She opened her mouth to speak when the alarm above their heads went off, and two men entered the room.

The mutants watched as a stun canister rolled toward them before going limp. Wade collapsed onto her chest as a man forced his head forward, and giving him a dose of serum.

Amy was rolled onto her back as Weapon XI stood. Arson soon joined him, and the men peeled away her gloves. The mutants shared a single glance. Both their eyes completely void of emotion as two sets of brown eyes gave way to a sterling grey.

_**/-/-/**_

Flash froze at the sight of him. "Apollo?"

Leon looked up, blinking in surprise. "Hannah?"

"_What the hell are _you_ doing here?"_

_**/-/-/**_

Pyro ducked as another dart flew at him. Next to him, Toad lay unconscious on the floor the young man's normally tainted skin slowly fading in and out with colour. Multiple Man shot a man in the back as he tried to run.

Flames rolled flawlessly off the boy's palm, stretching and turning over the remaining guard's body. John smirked as the human gave a cry of pain, and quickly turned his attention toward a side panel as it pushed out of the wall. The two Brotherhood members watched with armed curiosity as a man stepped out, bare from the waist up.

Two swords stretching out of his forearms.

John's eyes widened as he peered into the man's silvery gaze. "Dad?"

"You know this freak?" Jamie backed up slightly as the man's sunken face turned in his direction.

"No." A fire ball rose in his hand and he aimed blindly at Wade, who promptly disappeared from sight…reappearing behind Multiple Man nanoseconds later. John's eyes widened, "Look out!"

Jamie looked down and watched as the blade, stained with blood, shot out of his chest.

_**-/-/-**_

Mystique's glowing eyes scanned over the various needles and hypodermics that lined the shelves. Quick footsteps were audible just outside the door, and as the temperature in the room rose to almost unbearable heights. Smirking to herself, she plucked one labeled C/P:X-106. The hypodermic slipped easily into chamber of the gun.

Turning to face the intruder, she smirked as she raised it.

"Good to see you again, Amy."

The needle hit her square in the chest, and after a moment of stunned blinking, Arson collapsed to the ground.

Mystique filled another cartridge, and shut it in her rifle.

_**-/-/-**_

A wave of fire came rolling through the door. Acting on instinct, Flash dove to the floor along with her god father. His arm covered her head and forced her down. The flames licked at the walls, tickling the ceiling above them.

Peeking his red eyes open, Leon grinned at the pair of them. "Am I ever glad to see you, Misty." He stood with only a scant amount of visible difficulty.

Mystique grinned back at him, quick to shake his hand. "Likewise."

Flash reluctantly looked up to find a hand in front of her. The green eyes followed the hand up to the arm, and the younger woman's face blanched as she met Amy's eyes. She didn't say anything, the dark bags under her eyes speaking volumes as she waved it in front of Flash.

"You comin', kid?" Her voice was still frustratingly raspy, and she watched the girl mulled over the idea. The others turned their attention to the pair, seeming to almost be having a standoff of sorts.

"Hannah." Leon said, "Take her hand."

Flash still resisted a moment, even after Amy let out a horse chuckle. "What?"

"You don't look like a Hannah."

"Yeah, well, not many murderers look like an Amy, so-"

Her words caught in her throat as the hand in front of her lit up. She recoiled at the open blue –they flickered weakly into an orange, flame. Amy winced at her fearful expression, and quickly put it out. "Sorry. Not used to being…"

"Social," Leon supplied, wrapping an encouraging arm around her narrow shoulders. He looked down at Flash, who eyed them with distrust. "Now, take the woman's hand, Hannah. It's time to go." He looked over at Mystique, who nodded. "John's in trouble."

Amy's face remained emotionless as she reached down and yanked the girl up. She stumbled, but the older mutants were quick to steady her.

Mystique grinned as she raced out the door, hollering a quick "_Come on!"_ over her shoulder.

_**-/-/-**_

Cyclops looked at the mutants still chained away, "we need those pass codes, where is she?"

"Patience," Erik drawled, "She's simply taking care of other business."

"Couldn't you just pry the metal from the doors?"

"I could," Magneto pursed his lips, "but some things are just better to wait for."

One of the mutants sauntered up to the front of her cage. Her silver eyes locked on him, head cocked to the side. The man approached her with curiosity.

"Are you alright, miss? Can you speak?"

A coy smirk crossed her lips, pointed teeth flashing in the dim light. She shook her head.

Storm crossed over to them with two long strides. "Scott?"

"Yeah?" he didn't tear his eyes from the young girl in front of him.

"Something's not right…"

"What'd you mean?"

"Look at their eyes, Scott." Her own darted to the caged mutants, each one watching them with intense stares. "They can't all have the same mutation…"

"She's right, I'm afraid." Magneto stepped in. "These mutants are under the influence of the injection known simply as Experiment X106. A drug that contains a rather potent mind control agent."

Cyclops spun to face him, "and you were just going to let them out like that? How could we possibly know what their orders are?"

The elderly man smirked, and held up a finger. Moving in front of the girl's cell he glanced at the number inscribed in the metal doors. "Subject 10-290, what are your orders?"

"Terminate all intruders." She responded robotically.

Erik smirked and looked up at a camera. Tapping his nose, he almost grinned as his subordinate (a techno path known as Glitch)filled the mutants' cells with the cure.

"_Now_, I'll pry the metal off the doors, Cyclops."

_**-/-/-**_

The four of them raced down the endless corridors, only pausing when a familiar voice called out to them.

"Allerdyce!"

Amy turned on her heel, shock registering in her features. "John?"

Wraith smiled with relief, "you have no idea how good it is to see you, girl."

His once youth face was worn, and aged, his hair a salt and pepper gray. She winced, wondering if she looked as helpless as he did. "Get out of here," She muttered to the others, "There're some things I need to take care of."

They obeyed without hesitation, with only a concerned glance from Leon.

"What're you doing here?" Amy moved over to the electronic panel outside his cell.

"Stryker didn't take too kindly to my absence." He explained shuffling recklessly as her hand paused over the buttons. "What's wrong?"

"Why aren't you doped up?"

He shrugged, "Don't know, just woke up."

"Ah. Read the numbers off your bracelet for me."

John quirked a brow, but did as he was told. Seconds later his door slid open. "What-?"

"Army people aren't that bright, Wraith." Her lips remained thin, "they make everyone's number their escape pass, just you know, backwards."

"Clever." He sighed, stepping out. He put a hand on her shoulder, and pulled her into a tight hug. Clinging to him, she grinned. "It's good to see you too, John."

"Let's just get out of here."

"Wait," She pulled away from him, "we have to-"

"Get Wade, right?" Amy nodded sheepishly. The man sighed at her, "I suppose you're right I mean, I'm just as guilty as you are for making him go crazy."

She shot him a glare as the two of them began jogging down the hall. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Wraith panted, "Doesn't take a genius to figure out the teleporter helped jump your girl off the island."

Amy groaned. "Sorry."

"It's okay…" He chuckled huskily, "'Sides, he was still way more pissed at you about the whole sneakin' off and aborting his kid thing."

"Wait, what?" The woman froze, "where the hell'd he get that idea?"

"Well," Wraith paused, eying her with surprise, "didn't you?"

"Um, no."

"Well then, where's the kid?"

She rubbed the back of her neck, "I'm not entirely sure, but last time I saw him he, you know, existed."

"But-why would Stryker make something like that up?" Wraith questioned, watching her eyes heat up.

"I don't know," She turned her back on him, and began sprinting down the hall, "but I'm gonna find out."

A/N: This is not a pro-life story, nor is it a pro-choice story, it's just to show you how warped Stryker is when it comes to ways of getting results. The next chapter will be slightly choppy but not as much. Oh! And thanks to Tais T for correcting me on Weapon **XI**'s name. Sorry about that guys…


	11. Know Your Enemy

**/-Three Mile Island, 2006-/**

"Miss Allerdyce…so nice to see you again."

He didn't turned, still looking out the large picture window as she and John entered the office.

"You know why I'm here?" She asked, nodding as the teleporter motioned for her to move around the desk as he did the same.

Stryker's shoulders rose and fell with a smirk lingering on his face as he turned to face them, stopping both of them in their tracks. "I'm assuming it has to do with your relationship with Mister Wilson."

"You assume correct, then," Wraith cut in, glaring at him. "Why'd you lie, Stryker?"

"To get my way," the man's smirk widened, "why else?"

Amy set her jaw and made to run at him when the window shattered. They three ducted, but looked up in time to watch the grenade roll to a stop on the desk.

_**-/-/-**_

John kept his back pressed against the wall as the man approached him, Jamie's body having been easily discarded from his blade.

His brown eyes darted to it, going from his locked gaze to his arm, before flicking his lighter open. "What'cha gonna do, Wilson?"

Weapon XI's head tilted to the side, his silver eyes gleaming in the dim, fluttering lights. Watching the fire rise in the body's hand, he paused.

"Don't like that, do ya, bitch?" Pyro smirked making the flame grow higher until it was caressing the ceiling.

Wade Wilson wasn't anything like he'd been expecting. The cocky wiseass from the tape had been replaced by a melancholy father figure (at least in the teen's mind), and he'd come to know of when he showed up on the god forsaken island.

But what stood before him seemed to be a shell. His eyes held no emotions and his skin a ghostly pale that seemed to glow in the light. Two swords were held tightly in both hands. He continued to stare at the fire, before turning his back on the young man and walking away.

"_Hey!_" John snapped, "_where the hell do you think yer goin'?_"

_**-/-/-**_

Cyclops watched as the girl's head tilted in ways he hadn't known was possible. "Hear anything?"

She walked skittishly over to a wall. Pressing her head against it, she nodded, and motioned for one of the other mutants. Colossus tore the thin wall down with ease, and blinked in surprise as three familiar faces rushed past them.

"Mystique."

The blue woman froze at the sound of her name, and stopped along with her two comrades. Leon skidded to a stop in his bare feet, Flash stopping maybe a yard ahead of them. Smirking, Mystique jerked her head forward at the team. "You comin'?"

Magneto smirked and stepped through the hole. "Of course, my dear."

The X-Men exchanged glances, but followed him regardless. Ororo's eyes, as well as her smile lit up as they landed on Apollo. True he looked a little worse for wear, but he was alive and seemingly well. His gaze landed on hers, and he weakly returned the expression of relief before offering an arm. "Help an old man out, Raindrop?"

_**-/-/-**_

Every bone in her body felt like it had been shattered as she blinked her eyes open. A gasp escaped her throat, and her eyes snapped wide as they began to fuse themselves back together. Choking, Amy spat some blood onto the ground as she rolled onto her stomach, the window's fragmented glass pushing its way into her pale skin. It took a moment, but the pain in her back subsided, and her healing factor forced the glass from her body. Moving slowly the woman stood, eying the body of Stryker with a satisfied smirk before going over to check John's pulse.

It was faint, but it was there. He groaned at the touch and tried to ease himself off his side.

"Stay still," Amy told him, "you don't know where the damage is."

"Easy for you to say," Wraith grunted, "you can see straight."

Chuckling darkly, she shrugged. "Good genes."

He muttered a quiet, "good genes my _ass_," as she began moving efficiently around the office. A large hole had been blown through the desk, and it seemed as though the ceiling could give way any moment. Her dark eyes surveyed it with weariness as it seemed to creak above them.

"Wraith?"

"Yeah?" He groaned with effort before heaving a sigh.

"You think you can walk?"

"No."

She winced as a small piece fell. "Then we'll have to run."

Wraith banged his head lightly on the crumbling wall behind him. "I hate running."

_**-/-/-**_

John followed a few paces behind Wade. His pace wasn't quite a jog, but it was certainly brisker than a walk. He wondered where he was going. Where he was being led to. But most importantly he wondered why the fuck he was following this lunatic.

_Like father like son, I guess_, Pyro thought bitterly. The man spun to face him, and the teenager forced the fire to grow.

"Get out of here, kid." The man's eyes had drained back to a dull, tired brown.

John blinked in surprise. "What?"

"I said," Wade took a menacing step towards him, causing the younger male to back up, "get out of here before this whole place comes down on your sorry ass."

"Who do you think you are?" Pyro's eyes blazed with anger, "my father?"

Shaking his head, Deadpool chose to ignore him and teleport away. But not before smirking and murmuring, "Stupid bastard."

-/-/-

The walls of the power plant were starting to crumble, as was Amy's calm. Her breathe was coming out in short erratic bursts as Wraith teleported them few metres at a time.

"You okay?"

He nodded. "Few more and we'll be out."

"Good." She kept her eyes clamped shut until he stopped. "Is that who I think it is?"

Peeking an eye open, Amy nodded weakly. She pulled away from him. "John?"  
He remained still behind her. "Yeah?"

"Get out of here."

"But-"

"Do it!" She snapped, not taking her eyes off the man in front of her. Wade tilted his head at her, twirling his swords in a familiar threatening motion. After a moment's hesitation, Wraith disappeared from site.

"What're you doing, Wade?"

He stayed silent, but took a step towards her. She didn't back up like the boy had. She didn't show any sign of fear. She looked exhausted.

He eyed the blood that had spilled over her bottom lip. The blade slid up to her chin, tilting her head back so he could inspect her face. Dark bags hung under her brown eyes, her hair falling in them as well. He let out a quiet hum of discontent. He hadn't seen her with long hair before. Didn't like the change.

"Where've you been, Amy?"

"Here."

"Bullshit." The blade pressed harder against her throat, but she didn't falter. In fact her eyes softened at him.

"I've been here over fifteen years, Wade, don't you remember?"

His eyes flickered with paranoia. "Remember what?"

"The visits. Stryker used to let me visit you back when you were in-" She stilled as he began to push her back into the wall.

"Back when…" he teased, blade flashing in the dim light. "Back when you were pregnant?"

"No, after that."

Wade slammed the swords into the wall next to her head, electing a jump from her. "Should've killed you when I had the chance." His breathe was warm on her forehead as he muttered, "you should've told me."

"You should've told me," She repeated, keeping her eyes on his bare chest. "That you had cancer."

The sharp edge of the elongated knife pressed a little further, but not hard enough to draw blood. "You didn't love me." He told her simply. "What the hell do you care if I have cancer?" He laughed darkly, looking down at her drawn out features.

"Of course I did."

"Don't lie."

"I'm not lying," Amy snapped, "why would I lie about that?"

He waved the sword at her face, "uh, hello?"

"I'm not scared of you."

Wade shrugged, "so you're selfish _and_ stupid, good for you."

"Maybe I am, but at least I didn't-"

"Hey."

There head whipped toward the group that was watching them curiously.

"Not that we don't hate spoiling your little reunion," Magneto drawled sarcastically, "but I really think it's time we be going."

Wade stepped away from Amy. He nodded to the group. "Get going then."

"You aren't-"

"Oh I am, Allerdyce." He glared down at her, "I just don't want to turn my back on the enemy."


	12. Father and Son Bonding

**-/New York, 2006/-**

The jet was cramped and stuffy, but at least Wade wasn't on it. Amy groaned as pain shot through her head periodically.

Sensing her discomfort, Leon moved a little closer. "He'll get over it you know."

"No, he won't."

"Sure he will," He slid an arm over her shoulder, and pulled her tiny frame to his chest, "I mean, he might be a bit dense, but the idiot loves you."

She sighed, "He thinks I had an abortion."

"So? Set 'im straight."

"How do you disprove that kind of thing?"

The green mutant shrugged, jostling her slightly, but not terribly. "Presuming they didn't tear up it up too badly and presuming it hasn't been condemned by the city, my place in Vegas' probably got a few baby pictures of you and John stowed away somewhere in it."

"You think?"

"Sure, and if not, Mystique can back you up."

_**-/-/-**_

When they arrived at the mansion, most of the mutants were admitted into the medical lab for minor injuries.

Amy was admitted for exhaustion. Knowing this, Wade managed to steer clear of it, simply choosing instead to stay in his room. Laying on his back, he stared up at his ceiling as he did his best to ignore his roommate, the same smart-alecky kid from the power plant.

He wasn't talking to him or anything, just watching him with suspicion.

"Kid, you can look all you want, I ain't gonna do a trick." Wade smirked, "the island sucked all the magic out of me, I swear."

"Hm."

The older man lifted his head off his pillow –god it felt good to have pillows- and cocked a brow at him. "_Hm_? What _hm_?"

"You are not what I was expecting." John admitted. He eyed the man's long torso, the tattoos glinting in the bright lights.

Shooting the boy a flabbergasted look of intolerance, Wade shook his head. "What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Never mind." Clicking the lighter closed, he slid it in his jean's pocket. "I'm gonna go find Flash. I'll see you later, I guess."

"What'd I care? I'm not your baby sitter, go-" Wade waved his hand at the retreating boy, "suck an egg or some shit. Whatever teenagers do nowadays."

"Hm."

Wilson grit his teeth. _Unrelenting little bastard! _ He watched the door close before flopping back on the bed. It'd only be a matter of time before he was put in that Medical Bay, but he wanted to put as much physical space between himself and Amy as possible.

At least until he worked up the nerve to slit her throat with out looking at her…in her sleep maybe. He closed his eyes. He didn't like this. At least when he was locked in the padded room he could just pretend she was already dead, not locked in a cell underground and being experimented on.

That hurt. Knowing that she was still around, knowing that she wasn't Amy Allerdyce, just Subject 514-302, it _hurt_. And it shouldn't have. Not after what she did to him, not after she left him and took away his only chance for a family with _no explanation_. Just a half hearted shrug from Wraith and a smirk from Victor.

Stupid Victor with his stupid face and stupid attitude and stupid facial hair-

Wade let out a growl before sitting up. _Distraction_, his eyes glanced erratically around the room, _need a distraction_…

But nothing in the room seemed familiar, except of course, the VCR and television stowed away in the corner...

_**-/-/-**_

Jean locked the unconscious woman's wrist into the restraint. Checking to make sure it wasn't too loose, she didn't hear another patient sit up behind her.

"What're you doing?"

The doctor jumped at the voice, turning to face the dark skinned colorful man who was watching her with suspicion. She straightened her lab coat, and Leon looked down to see his own arms free. Quirking a brow, he said nothing.

"The Professor said that those with a…history, should be kept under special circumstances." Jean explained, doing the other strap up before crossing over to him. "Give me your arm please?"

"Why?"

"I'd like to draw some blood."

He stared at her before laughing, a cold brutal sound that made her stomach turn. Just as he intended. "You're joking right?"

She huffed a moment before putting the needle down, and picking up a pencil instead. "Mind answering some questions then?"

The man shrugged. "I suppose that'd be fine…if you don't mind my asking, who are you exactly?"

"Doctor Jean Grey."

"Summers' wife?"

"That's me." She smiled somewhat forcibly as his eyes swept up and down her body.  
Leon smirked, "you could do better, cupcake."

Jean glared subtly, but said nothing on the subject as she flipped a folder open. "And how long were you at the facility?"

"Uh," He closed his eyes and scratch the back of his neck. "That depends."

"Depends on what?"

"On what year it is."

Mystique slinked into the medical lab, and hopped onto his bed. "It's 2006, darlin'."

"Really?" A fine, blondish brow rose, "huh. I guess that makes it about fifteen years, maybe a year after Amy went in."

_**-/-/-**_

Wade sighed as he popped the tape out. He eyed it curiously, noting that there was no label of any kind on it, and then smirked. _You can always rely on a teenage boy to have porn_, he grinned to himself. Putting it back in, he hit rewind.

His back supported by the wall behind him, the man formerly known as Weapon XI let himself relax. His muscles seemed to be in constant spasm, painfully adjusting themselves at their own will. Pushing the pain from his mind, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the cool wall. A dull click came from the tape and it started to play. Brown eyes blinked open with surprise as gleeful shrieks came from the television.

He laughed quietly to himself before sitting up. Definitely not porn. Wade shook his head and went to turn it off when he noticed the woman's face on the screen.

"Amy?" He murmured, scooting up to television. The baby continued to clap and coo up at her, and Wade felt a rage course through his chest.

_She had the baby. She had the baby. That lying son of a-_ he paused mid thought. _How the fuck'd that kid get this tape?_

He smacked his head back against the wall with a grunt as the pair continued to giggle on the screen. He watched with a heavy heart as her hands lit up, and the baby –_his_ baby- followed them with enrapt curiosity. If Stryker got Amy then Stryker got the baby. He tilted his head. It was a cute kid. A boy, apparently, _Johnnycakes_. A sad smile pulled at his lips as he gazed almost affectionately at the screen.

He was right. Amy was a good mother.

A small noise of discontent rose in his throat. _Suppose this means I owe her an apology…_he mused, standing from the bed. _Best to get it over with…Maybe kick the crap out've that prying kid on the way…_

a/n: sorry, this one's kind of short, but it's late and I got school-peace out!


	13. Shades of Grey

**-/New York, 2006/-**

Logan hit the floor had as Wade smack his sheathed sword against his ankle.

"What the hell's your problem!" The feral roared, receiving a flip of the bird from the man. The man's cocky smirk pulled at something in the back of Logan's mind, but he couldn't place it. Growling quietly, he watched with interest as the new mutant turned his back on him.

"I'll deal with you later, Jimmy." Wade replied, continuing on his way down to the basement.

_**-/-/-**_

The three stopped mid-sentence when the half naked man sauntered into the medical wing like he owned the place. He paused at the sight of them. Opting to salute them sarcastically he said nothing as he moved to the other side of the room where Amy lay.

"Is there something I can help you with?" The doctor asked.

Wade spun his sword leisurely as he stood over the dozing woman. "Nope."

"Well, then I'll have to ask you to-" Jean stopped when Leon put a hand on her arm. Both he and the blue female shook their heads at her.

"Maybe we should continue this conversation outside?" he suggested quietly.

"I can't just leave him with her."

"Yes you can." He said, using some of his empathy to assure her it would be fine.

The trio started to make their way out of the bay when the new comer's voice stopped them.

"Leon?"

Said man motioned for the women to carry on. "Yes, Wade?"

"She had the baby." He continued to spin the sword, this time a little more radically.

"Yes, she did."

The blade froze and he turned his face toward the green man. "Stryker got him?"

"No."

It started again, rotating slowly in his palm. "Good." He bit his lip as his comrade started to leave. "Leon?"

Resisting the urge to huff at him, the man answered, "_Yes_, Wade?"

"Thanks."

Leon smirked, "no problem. Just promise me you won't smoother her while I'm gone."

Deadpool shrugged, "okay."

"_Okay_, is not _I promise_, Wilson."

"Fine, I promise okay? Go back to your little girlfriends and get out of here, will ya!" Wade growled, twirling his knives erratically, "I'm bonding with my lady!"

"Okay…Just remember," Leon smirked, "it's rape if she's sleeping."

He left as the man shot him a glare over his pale shoulder. When Apollo was out of sight, the remaining man moved a little closer to the woman. His stomach dropped as a finger caressed her IV, the needle poking ungraciously into the back of her hand. He trailed it up the small rubber tube up to the drip chamber. Tapping it sympathetically, Wade plucked the bag off its stand, making sure to keep it elevated.

_Sodium Thiopental_, he read. When the bag was hung back in its proper place, he took a seat next to her on the hospital bed. An unnerving sense of déjà vu flooded over him as he took in the sterile scent, the scratchy sheets, and of course, the comatose woman on the bed. A silent thumping echoed in the back of his mind as he looked down at Amy.

Wade brushed her dark hair back, running his thumb over her pale cheek. Leaning down, he rested his head on her chest and closed his eyes, remembering where the familiar sound had come from.

**-/Three Mile Island, 1991/-**

The door behind him slid open, but he didn't bother getting up.

His head was spinning –and not in the good, festive way- and his stomach had been turning recklessly from his last round of chemo.

_Stupid shitty healing factor,_ he swore inwardly, _can't keep up with its own body- ugh._

Wade curled up a little tighter in the fetal position as the person came closer to him, their steps echoing in his head like a hammer to his temporal lobe.

A warm hand touched his shoulder, and he tried to make himself even smaller. "N-no more doctors." But it didn't feel like a physician. It was too warm. Blinking his eyes open, he watched as the blurred form above him morphed into a familiar face.

His eyes started to widen, but he flinched back from the harsh white lights of the cell. "Ames?"

"Oh god, Wade." Her fingers caressed his face tenderly as she lowered herself down to the floor, making herself level with his cot.

He was nothing like she remembered, every spark of life and wit seemingly sucked out of him as he stared at her in a haze. Her heart clenched, and Amy bit her lip to fight back tears as she noticed his sunken eyes and thinning hair. Her fingers weaving though it gently as he continued to stare up at her with a puzzled expression.

"W-what're," He stumbled over his words, closing his eyes against the blinding light as he relaxed under her touch, "you shouldn't be here."

"I want to be here."

"You didn't before."

Amy's movements froze. "Do you want me to leave? I can, if- if you want me to." She cleared her throat awkwardly, "I will if you want me to."

His hand wrapped around hers, his nimble fingers thin enough to see every bone's point and crease in the digit. It scared her. She held on a little tighter and he gave her hand a weak pull.

Slipping in behind him, Amy propped herself up against the wall as the man curled into her chest, nestling there like an infant. Beads of sweat rolled off him, staining her dark red scrubs.

But she didn't mind, in fact, when she noticed she pulled him even closer.

"Amy?"

"Mhm?"

"I hate you." He murmured bitterly, but his hand tightened on her arm, pinning it to his bare chest as her other hand went back to running her fingers through his hair.

She kissed the top of his head, a tear slipping from the corner of her eye. "I know, Wade."

**/-New York, 2006-/**

He'd meant it at the time. And some part of him still did. But it was hard to hate someone who looked so fragile. Hard to hate someone who hadn't really done anything.

Except leave.

But that was understandable. Hurtful and sadistic, but understandable. Especially when Stryker was involved. Wade remembered every night he spent alone since she left. Every chemo session he spent looking at an empty chair. Every night he'd stared up at the ceiling on cot and wondered where she was. Who she was with. If she was thinking of him.

Then he thought of the baby. _Johnnycakes_. A smile tugged at the man's scarred lips as he pulled away from her heart beat. Leave the girl from Kansas to name her son –_their_ son, he corrected- after a fucking snack food.

"Our son," Wade muttered, testing it out. "Johnnycakes." His scrunched his nose up in annoyance. It sounded better when she said it. More natural. Jon? Jonathan? Juan? Jack?

A little thing with his eyes and her pout. _Probably not that little anymore_, he thought, _how long was I stuck in there? Weeks? Months? Years?_ His eyes darkened. He didn't like the idea of spending the first few years of his son's life locked away in a cage.

Wade didn't notice the young man in the door way, watching with keen interest. John moved away silently. He didn't belong here.

_**-/-/-**_

After wandering around the school for about half an hour, Pyro came to a head with Bobby. They stared at each other, both sizing the other up.

"John."

"Iceman."

The X-Man's blue eyes softened. "I saw them bring your mother in. She was in rough shape."

"She's fine." He snapped, "Mind your own business, Drake."

"I'm just saying, you know," Bobby shrugged, offering a half hearted smile, "congratulations."

"Bite me," John shoved past him. Or at least, tried to. Bobby caught his arm.

"John."

The smaller man yanked himself away. "What?"

"I saw your dad-"

"So what? Who hasn't?"

"He's sick, isn't he?" Blue eyes shone sympathetically as Pyro dropped his eyes with frustration. "John, I know they weren't the best people-"

"Oh fuck you, Drake, what'd you know about family? When was the last time your folks even spoke to you?"

Bobby blinked evenly at him. "When you burned down my house."

"I didn't burn it down."

"Well, you came close enough to scare them out of speaking to me."

John shook his head, refusing to feel ashamed. So he smiled sarcastically, "I'm sorry you and your little story book family's on the outs, Drake. But at least you had 'em to begin with." He turned and left the blond standing there, rubbing the back of his neck. John made his way out to the gardens, where Leon and Mystique sat. Jean had long since returned to the mansion.

"Hey." He dropped on to the grass near them. They watched as the teenager began to pick blades of grass from their roots. Mystique shot Leon a look, but he didn't return it, too focused on the young man next to them.

He was so…_angry_. Sullen. Pain and hate radiated off him like a nuclear warzone. Leon didn't like it. It wasn't right. Not only what he was doing to Xavier lawn, either. "You can't avoid them forever, firefly."

John's hands stilled.

"They may not be pretty, or shiny or new, or whatever it was you were expecting," Leon went on gravely, "but they're your parents. You don't know half of what Amy gave up to keep you out of that hellhole."

The grass began to steam between his fingers. "And Wade?"

"Thought you were dead; with good reason too. Stryker convinced him your mom-"

"Amy." Pyro said, correcting him as Mystique shifted uncomfortable on the bench next to the green skinned man.

"Amy, then. Said she… gave you up." Apollo put as delicately as possible, but he felt the embarrassment roll off John, and saw it flicker on his face a moment.

His voice was small when he asked, "And Wilson believed him?"

"Yes, he did. He was in there for years, John. Stryker was his only link to the outside world. He was brainwashed."

"Amazing," Mystique commented, "when you consider he only has half a brain to begin with."

Leon nudged her, shooting her a playful smile. "Be nice, Bluebell."

Pyro's head shot up with a smirk. "Bluebell?"

She huffed, standing gracefully. "I'll be inside if you need me."

They watched her go, amusement in their eyes before Leon spoke again. "You look just like her when she was your age." He lifted a leg over his other, straining with difficulty from the prior days excitement. "Got your dad's attitude though."

The teenager glanced at him out of his peripheral vision. "You knew Amy when she was my age?"  
"Oh sure, I was just leaving this place when she showed up." The older mutant rubbed his knee gingerly, feeling the joint twitch spastically under his fingers. He winced. "Xavier convinced me to stay around a little longer, wanted me to help with her case."

"Why?"

"She had a lot of baggage," Leon told him cryptically. "Nice kid though…but no one really seemed surprised when she took off."

John put his head down, focusing on the grass again. "Why not?"

The green man shrugged, "she wasn't very social. Spent a lot of time staring at the wall." His red eyes set on the boy's hunched figure. "She wasn't very good at keeping her emotions in check. That's why Xavier wanted me to help her."

Leon let out a chuckle, a false, sullen sound that chilled John to the bones. "I couldn't help much. I was just a kid. What she needed was time. The Professor is known for his patience, John, but it's not as distributed as equally as he'd like you to believe."

"What'd you mean?" Pyro asked, facing him now. He met his eyes with even curiosity as the gentleman sighed.

"He thought she didn't want the help, so he got frustrated. Tried to rush things…" Leon leaned back against the bench. The bruises the littered his back protested quietly, but he silenced them as he looked up at the sky. "But he was rushing the wrong things. He thought if she could get a handle on her gifts it might make her more social, but it was the other way around. She needed the self esteem to set her straight," His red eyes landed on John's face. "Wade gave her that."

"He doesn't exactly seem like the supporting type." Pyro muttered. "Bit of an asshole if you ask me."

"Well, no one asked you." They stared at each other a moment before laughing.

Leon sighed, smiling slightly. "There are more then a few shades of grey with your father, John."

He snorted in response. "I doubt that."

"He loves your mother, he's just not…stable enough to handle everything right now." He licked his lips, "they just need some time, for adjustment." Leon stood, ignoring the ache in his leg as he did. "I think you do too, Johnnycakes."

Something flashed in Pyro's aura, but it was too quick for him to process what it was. So he shrugged it off. "Think you can give them that?"

"I guess." The boy shrugged, "What should I do in the mean time?"

"Well, from what I could gather from the Good Doctor Grey, lovely woman by the way, Amy's in a coma." He watched the boy's aura change to a faltering blue, and was quick to assure him it was intentional. "They're just purging the effects from her system. Her healing factor's become immune to some of them, so it could take a while."

John lifted a seemingly uninterested shoulder, "so? What's that got to do with me?"

"She needs you."

The boy lifted his eyes to his, weariness registering in them before reaching his aura. "She's asleep."

"Not mentally." Leon tapped his temple. "She knows what's going on around her, for the most part. I'm sure she could use the support." He put his hand out to the boy. "Come on."

John took the hand that was offered to him after a few seconds of hesitation. The older man groaned slightly as he pulled him up.

"You were a lot lighter when you were two." The man murmured, adjusting his back as he let the boy go.

**A/N: **This one was longer, due to the wait…sorry about that, I just wanted to kind of perfect the scene with Wade and Amy. I'd appreciate the reviews, just to let me know what you think I'm doing right and what you think needs improvement.


	14. Adjustments

**-/Reno, Nevada, 1989/-**

"Is t_ou_ching me! Is t_ou_ching me!" The toddler shrieked, squirming and giggling in the grass as Leon and Mystique shared a look.

"It's a caterpillar, Kurt, calm down." Mystique rolled her eyes as her son's yellow ones followed the tiny insect with interest. His tail swishing behind him erratically.

John's brown eyes watched it with keen interest. He was considerably smaller then the other boy, but Kurt didn't seem to mind.

"You think he's noticed yet?"

Leon glanced at her, "probably not. Have you-"

"Yeah," She sighed, watching the blue boy poke at the bug with both disgust and glee. "It's all set up."

"He'll be safe there?"

Mystique nodded, "it's a very mutant friendly environment, if that's what you mean. It's what's best for him."

"You know, you're-"

"Always welcome, I get it." She rolled her eyes. "But he needs a family, not to mention a home." Mystique clicked her tongue, "and a shape shifting felon just cannot provide that kind of thing in today's society. "

Leon rubbed his eyes, watching the boys as they play in his (one of many) back yard(s), completely unaware of the world around them. "As long as you're sure, Blue."

"What about Amy?"

"She's trying to throw Sabertooth off." He explained, not taking his red eyes from St John's tiny form. "You know how determined he is."  
**/-New York, 2006/-**

John followed Leon back into the mansion, unaware of the man's subtle glances at him. He really had grown to look like his mother. It was kind of unnerving.

"So, you're with the Brotherhood?"

Pyro nodded, "yep."

"Hm."

"What?"

Leon shrugged, "Magneto ever tell you he tried to get your folks to join?"

The young mutant paused. He looked at the man with annoyance. "No. He never mentioned that."

"Probably because of what an total failure it was." Apollo chuckled bitterly, a pleased, maybe even boastful, smirk on his face. "I mean, Amy was kind of swayed by Mystique of course, but Wade was flat out obnoxious."

"Naturally," John replied with an eye roll. "What else is new?"

"He started swearing at him in German and making Nazi references…this is all hearsay, but I don't see a reason for Misty to lie."

"Okay." John halted, chuckling to himself as he clicked his lighter open. "What's with the nicknames? Seriously, it's kind of creepy."

His red eyes rolled. "It's not that odd."

"I said creepy."

They commenced walking. The continuous _flick swish click_ of John's lighter echoing off the quiet walls of the hallway as the students sit in class. Neither of the men mentioned them as they continued walking.

"So, how's rooming with Wade?" Leon asked.

The teenager shrugged. "Not quite the reunion I was hoping for, but it's not so bad I guess."

"Oh?"

"Well, he doesn't know yet."

"That's probably a good thing," The green man rubbed one of the horn that protruded from his forehead. "Best Amy finds out first, so she can easy him into the idea."

"Idea of what?"

"Having a kid around." Leon said, smiling sympathetically, "he's knows you're alive, he just doesn't know you're around."

Pyro clicked his lighter defiantly closed. "How long is she supposed to be out?"

"Dr. Grey said a few days at the most."

He fiddled with the metallic fire maker. He could wait a few days…

-/-/-

Wade was stewing in his rage somewhere deep in the school's basement. The blade flashes in the harsh light of the medical wing and he stared at the wall in front of him. Amy's heart monitor beeped rhythmically, egging on his hate filled haze.

He hated Stryker. He hated Logan. He hated Wraith. Part of him still hated Amy. But right now he had a new target for his anger.

That smart-aleck. What had he called himself? Gyro? Wade furrowed his brows. That didn't seem right. But the young man stirred suspicion in the Merc's mind.

Something a little too familiar about him, a little too calm. Not to mention the tape.

Jaw clenched, Wade teleported himself from sight. He landed right in front of the young man.

Leon took a step forward. "Wade?"

His questioning tone went ignored as Deadpool brushed past him to stand in front of Pyro. The shorter man gazed up at him boldly as his father stared down at him with malice. "Where'd ya get the tape, kid?"

"What tape?" John choked on his words as Wade lifted him off the ground. Ramming him back against the wall, he growled at him.

His disfigured mouth barely moving as his hands tightened around his collar. "Where did you get the tape?" He asked slowly, banging him in to the wall with each word. Wade watched as the young man blinked in pain.

"Wade! Knock it off, it's not what you think!" Leon shouted, grabbing an arm and trying to pull him away. "Wade!"

"Where?"

Pyro kicked at him, struggling for air as his lighter clattered to the floor.

"Answer me!" Wade stared into the young man's frightened eyes. Something sparked in the back of his mind.

_Her eyes widened up at him as he grabbed her shoulders. "Wa-Ugh!"_

_Amy's head bounced off the concrete wall as he pinned her there. Her frightened brown eyes-_

Wade jerked away from the boy. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he backed a little further away from him as Leon rushed to Pyro's side.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly, earning a nod from the boy as he clutched his throat, taking shallow ragged breathes. Angry red eyes focused on Wade, who looked…Leon's eyes softened.

He was devastated. Wade's sunken eyes were shamed, his shoulders slumped as he continued to look at him. His son. It was the only reason he'd have the tape. The mercenary took another step back.

John heaved a gasp as his breathing finally evened out. He lifted his eyes up to Wade's, who quickly dropped them. "What's, your fucking problem?"

He stayed silent, pulling away as Leon reached out to him. "Wade-"

"Don't." Deadpool shook his head, the light gleaming off his bald head. "Just- just don't."

Then he vanished from sight. Sighing the older man glanced at John, his aura flickering unsteadily. It was filled with the same hurt and guilt as his father's.

"John-"

"I'm fine," he snapped, standing swiftly. A tense hand rubbed his aching throat. John heard Leon let out a sigh but ignored it. "So much for needed time."

"He's-" The green man shook his head, "I guess he's just having some trouble adjusting to you know-"

"Me?" Pyro snapped, "He's just having some trouble adjusting to _me_."

Leon stared at him with tired eyes. "John."

"What?" He ignored the crack in his own voice. Pyro noticed Leon was watching just around his face. "What?" It was weaker this time.

John winced as the older man wrapped a pair of steady arms around him. "What're-"

"Everything's going to be okay, John." Leon tightened his grip as the boy began to struggle. His empathy passed through him, and he stilled. "I mean it."


	15. Familiar Pangs

**-/New York, 2006/-**

Mystique stared down at the unconscious woman. Her features were seemingly the same as they had been some eighteen years ago. She brushed a scaled finger over her hairline.

Amy's black hair was now touched with the odd strand of grey. But it was hardly noticeable, unless you were looking for it. Mystique sighed. They weren't new. The nudist could remember the very night she got them.

**-/Reno, August, 1988/-**

Amy whimpered as the sheets under her finger tips singed to a dark brown. "I changed my mind, I don't wanna do this anymore."

"Too late now, sweetheart," Leon told her, shaking his head. "You're almost there, just a few more-"

Mystique had left the room then, Kurt secure under her arm as the woman's screams echoed off the walls. There was nothing she could do for her.

_**-/-/- **_

She would later drive the pyrokinetic to the hospital, dozing baby safe in her lap.

"Weird, isn't it?" Mystique didn't look over at her, keeping a firm eye on the road as she spoke, "how they change things so quickly."

"Yeah." Amy ran a finger down the baby's cheek. Her half lidded eyes taking in his tiny features. "It is."  
_**-/-/-**_

Amy was dozing in the hospital bed when the pleasant sound of cooing woke her. Hazily, she blinked until the world came into focus.

A scream rose in her throat at the sight of Victor Creed, standing over her baby. But she silenced it quickly.

"Victor?"

He grinned, but it wasn't friendly. It was predatory. She watched him run a talon along the baby's incubator. "Arson. Good to see you."

The woman sat up with a struggle, her healing factor barely able to keep up with her body's strain. "What-"

"Cute kid." He interrupted, glancing back down at the baby. "What's it's name?"

"I haven't given him one yet." She said curtly, "what're you doing here, Creed?"

"See yer manners haven't improved much." The feral moved away from the incubator, smirking as the petite woman heaved a quiet sigh of relief. "Just came to give ya a heads up, frail."

She continued to watch him with cautious eyes. "What kind of heads up?"

"Call it a warning." Victor shrugged without commitment. "I'm givin' ya two days, Amy."

Exhausted, she blinked up at him. "Why? Not that I'm ungrateful."

"Stryker knows about it." He jerked his head toward the still cooing infant. "Wants to run some tests on it."

Her heart skipped a beat, and as a smile rose on his lips Amy was sure he heard it. "Victor-"

"Nothin' can be done about it, Arson." The wicked grin widened, "two days."

He left the room without another word. He was just getting in the elevator when she slid in front of him. Stopping him with her hand, Amy looked up at him desperately.

"Promise me you won't hurt him."

"Who?"

"My baby."

He chuckled bitterly, "already goin' soft, huh, Allerdyce?"

"Promise me, Victor!" She shrieked, her pride on the back burner as a few other patients watched them curiously.

His black eyes shifted into something different, not quite pity, but close. "I won't hurt yer boy, Arson."

Amy sighed in relief, but her blood ran cold as he went on. Victor stepped in the elevator as it dinged.

"But I can't promise I won't kill him."

**-/New York, 2006/- **

Mystique grinned down at her as her eyes fluttered open. "Morning, sunshine."

Hazily, Amy went to sit up. When she noticed she was restrained, she panicked.

The fire embraced her entire body, spilling over the side of the bed and licking the walls behind her. Jerking away, Mystique stared at her in awe. Arson's frightened screams bounced off the walls as the sprinkler system turned on, but it was unable to keep up with the flames as they continued to dart around her.

Her small frame thrashed wildly, her energy restored to it's full potential. The heat grew more and more intense causing her comrade to wince and back away a little further. She turned toward the door as a step of footsteps ran down the hall.

"What's-oh dear god!" Jean froze a moment, watching as the flames grew higher, tickling the high ceiling as they stretched along the walls. Logan paused as well as Scott.

"Oh goddamn it," The man known as Cyclops muttered, "I knew this would happen, she's too unstable to-"

Logan went to move forward, but Jean stopped him with a firm hand. "Don't."

"What'd ya mean, _don't_? She'll burn down the whole school!"

"Trust me." Her blue eyes shifted to Mystique. "Can you go find, Mr. Wilson?"

She gave an understanding nod and ran off. The doctor's eyes moved to her husband's, "go find Bobby."

"But-"

"Go."

Scott eyed the still terror-stricken woman on the bed before leaving the room. She moved in awkward, uncontrolled jerks that sent sparkles and soot flying in every direction. This wasn't a new scenario for him, as Scott was more then familiar with her…what had the Professor called them? Outbursts?

Jean, however, was not. She attempted to create a mind link, but to no success. Amy's mind was simply not in the state for it.

Logan eyed the young (looking) woman with paranoia. This seemed all _too_ familiar to him. The steam, the flames, the smell. It pulled at the base of his skull frustratingly. "What's her name?"

"Huh?" Jean snapped out of her focus to look at him. "Oh, it's Amy."

"A-" He blinked away the feeling of a soft kiss on his cheek, and he repeated the name to himself. "Amy Allerdyce."

The woman opened her mouth to ask how he knew that, but Wade soon flashed into view, promptly shoving the feral man away.

"Hey, what it, bub!"

Ignoring him, he went around to her bed side. The flames licked and caressed his legs, the acquainted burn bringing a smile to his face as he pulled out his sword. The heat was melting the sheath, and Wade was quick to slid it out.

Amy's eyes shot open as the metal touched her skin. The fire put continued to rage along the walls and bed, but ceased from rolling off her. She dropped her head back on the ashes that were once a pillow, and gazed up at him fondly as the burns on her face, and the rest of her exposed body, knitted back into pale, porcelain skin. His own charred fingers restored back to their natural colour as Wade brushed some of her (overly, in his opinion) long bangs back. Trailing them down her jaw, he continued down her neck to her collar bone. His brown eyes fell on her restraints with annoyance, but didn't mention them.

Instead, he smirked down at her, his lips twisting horribly. "What'd you freak out about this time, Allerdyce?"

"They pinned me down," She murmured sadly in reply, shuddering from the lack of heat. His fingers were cool against her skin. As the fire was dwindling down, Amy found herself shifting a little closer to him for warm.

She ignored Jean completely when she draped a sheet over her prone body. "Miss Allerdyce?"

Logan considered approaching them, but felt uncomfortable as Wade continued to stroke the side of her neck. So he watched the pair as they stared, devotedly enrapt with each other. Not only was it embarrassing, for him, but it was also mildly disgusting.

At that moment, Scott and Bobby Drake ran into the room. They skidded to a stop in sequence, seeming shocked by the lack of heat. The younger quickly put out the few remaining flames. His blue eyes slipped over to his…former friend's parents.

The sword lay clutched in Wade's hand, his fingers spinning it slowly as he continued to peer down at Amy with well hidden worry. The woman on the other hand looked rather worse for wear, the same dark bags under her eyes that had been there days ago.

Bobby dropped his gaze when he realized she was naked_. Not the best way to get back on good terms with John,_ he thought, _checking out his mom._

A/N: Filler chapter, sorry. But the next shall be better.


	16. Hypothetical We

**-/New York, 2006/-**

Wade didn't look up as Pyro entered the room. He kept facing the wall as the young man shuffled around the room. He could hear rummaging, and soon enough the bedside light was switched off.

The room darkened drastically, and a pang of paranoia ran through him until he heard John start to get comfortable on the bed next to his. Sighing, Wade remembered the boy's panic stricken features and remembered Amy's from the prior morning. He pulled the blanket over his head. He didn't want to think about it.

Maybe Stryker was right.

Maybe he was better off in the institution.

**/-Three Mile Island, 1987-/**

Wade watched as the needle poked into the skin of his medical epicondyle. Stryker watched it as well, hovering over him with interest as the doctors moved soundless through out the lab.

"I was quite pleased with your decision to stay, Private."

"I'm sure you were just thrilled."

Stryker narrowed his eyes subtly. "I was. It would be unsafe to have you running amuck looking for that girl in the state you're in."

"The state I'm in? What? You mean Pennsylvania?" The younger man quipped dully.

"I meant depression."

Wade scoffed audibly, tired brown eyes shining with guarded rage. "I'm not depressed." He said, completely confident in his tone of voice.

"Of course you are," Stryker managed to keep the smirk off his face as he spoke. "The only woman you've ever loved has run off-"

"I didn't love her."

"Gotten rid of the only child you'll ever have-"

"_I didn't love her!_" Wade snapped at him, ripping the needle from his arm and hurling it across the room. It bounced off the wall feebly, breaking in two as the man panted. His world was spinning in front of him, as Stryker's words spun in his head.

"You see what I mean now Wade." The man went on, placing what was supposed to be a comforting hand on his shoulder, "society won't accept you in the state you're in."

Closing his eyes, Wade didn't see the sick grin of glee that passed over his superior officer's face.

**-/New York, 2006/- **

Jean moved around Amy's bed soundless as the woman continued to stare up at the burnt ceiling. She glanced down at her passive face. "Miss Allerdyce?"

"Yes?"

"The Professor has-" Jean stopped when she noticed the sparkled jolt out of Amy's hands.

Her brown eyes shifted over to hers, "the Professor has _what_, Doctor Grey?"  
"Requested a meeting with you."  
"Regarding?" The petite woman rolled her wrists in there restraints.

"John."

The mutant let out a humorless chuckle. "What about him?"

Jean tilted her head, "Aren't you curious about him? Even in the slightest?"

"I'm more curious about what the Professor wants with him." Amy told her, pursing her lips. "I mean, he's not exactly the…understanding type."

"Xavier would help any mutant in need," The red head defended, glaring at her as she smirked.

"It's cute that you think he's unbiased, kid."

"Please don't refer to me as _kid_, Miss Allerdyce." Jean asked, earning a nod from her. "As for the Professor, he's done a well enough job raising your son, Amy. You could pay him some respect."

Her brown eyes leveled at her. Shaking her head, Amy said, "I didn't want him to."

"What? You honestly thought he'd be safer with you?" The doctor chastised, earning a few more sparkles from Amy's hands. "A mercenary?"

"Apparently. Considering he's with the Brotherhood now…" The sparks bloomed into flames, stretching along her finger tips. Her smirk widened. "…I guess I kept better tabs on him then you lot ever did."

Jean stared at her. Unsure how to answer, unsure what that _meant_, she asked her. A familiar grin rose on her pale lips as she answered, "Not everything is as coincidental as you'd think…" Her eyes flashed as the fire in her hands faded. "How's your telepathy these days, Jeanie?"

"What'd you know about that?" The doctor's voice was dangerously low.

Amy rolled her wrists in their bonds. "I came back once." She gave them a tug, knowing from her pyrokinetic display that they wouldn't break. "It took them a few hours to figure out I was here." Her head dropped back onto her new pillow – it was stiffer then the old one. Fireproof. "I went looking for Mystique's info, but wound up in the wrong cabinet."

Jean listened intently.

"Miss Grey is a bright student with a level five mutation." The fire starter went on, as though reciting it word for word. "But her lack of control has proven rather difficult. I'm afraid the Phoenix must be caged."

"What's-"

Amy interrupted her. "Ask Xavier." She smirked, "I'm sure he'll be quick to help any mutant in need." Jean stared at her a long moment before leaving the lab.

-/-/-

Hours ticked by slowly in the medical lab, not that this was a surprise to Amy.

Hours always ticked by slowly for her. She contented herself by counting the ceiling tiles. She was nearing four hundred when Magneto strolled in.

"Hello, Amy."

"Guten Tag," She drawled, smirking.

His eyes narrowed at that, but he moved ever closer. "I come baring no ill will, Arson."

"I have little faith in that."

"I suppose you have no reason to, although-"

"You sprung me from the joint, I get it, I owe you." Her eyes sized him up. "You look well."

"Coming from you I'll take that as a compliment."

"Please do, now what'd you want?"

He feigned hurt, "Now, Amy, what ever would give you the idea that I want something?"

"Because you always want something." She smiled coldly, "now what is it."

"As I'm sure you know, the Brotherhood is rather…close to disbanding." He told her. Her expression didn't change. "It would be rather…beneficial to get our numbers up."

"You want me to persuade the others in to joining." Amy made sure it was a statement. "Or at the very least Wade and Leon."

"That's correct."

She fell back on her pillow. Closing her eyes she smirked. "Goodbye, Erik."

"Now Miss Allerdyce, be reasonable-"

"Goodbye, Erik."

"If you think this conversation is over, Amy, you are mistaken."

"I understand," She turned her face away from him, "now, goodbye, Erik."

Sighing the elderly man left the room. Passing Leon and John on the way.

"You sure about this?" the green man asked, watching the younger nod, he went on, "okay, your call, kiddo."

-/-/-

There were a lot of people who he would've expected to show up at his door; Logan, Xavier, that hot doctor chick looking for a good time…

But John Wraith was not one of them. Wade glanced down at his chest one last time to make sure it wasn't the hottie from the med lab. Nope. Just Wraith.

"What the hell do you want?" He tapped the tip of his sword impatiently on the hardwood floor, leaving small indents with each tap.

Wraith sighed, "I came in peace, man."

"You look like shit."

"Fuck you, Wilson, now ya gonna let me in or what?"

Wade sighed, but moved out of the door way to grant his (_former_) friend access to the room. The teleporter glanced around, inspecting it with minor interest before looking back at him. A smirk on his lips, "you look in a mirror lately?"

"Shut up, Wraith, what'd ya want?"

The man's expression sobered, "I heard what happened with Amy."

"Well, you can send the flowers to the lab, John."

"You know if she keeps that up they won't let her stay here."

Wade shrugged, adding carelessly, "and that my problem because…what? We used to fuck so I gotta care what happens to her?"

"You haven't changed a bit." Wraith said condescendingly. "I know as well as you do if she goes, you'll follow."

"I'm my own man, Wraith, I can take care of myself."

"What about Amy? And that kid?"

"That _kid_," Wade growled, "is an adult. He can take care of himself." His eyes softened but his tone remained hard, "as for Amy, she can do the same."

Wraith scratched the back of his neck. His dark eyes moved around the room again. "the Brotherhood's trying to recruit her. Already got your boy."

The taller man rubbed his sunken eyes. "So? Not my problem."

"You two could have a life now." Said Wraith. "With Stryker dead, there's nothing stopping you from running off."

Wade scoffed, "Except you know, money, and a place to live and leukemia…"

"So? It's been almost twenty years, man, I'm sure they've made progress-" Wraith glared when he was cut off.

"Yeah, progress. Progress that'll cost money that we don't have."

The other man pointed an accusing finger at him, grinning, "you said we!"

"Hypothetically!" Wade snapped, "Money, we –_hypothetically_- don't have!"

_**-/-/-**_

Amelia was back to counting tiles when Mystique wandered in. "Hey."

"Hey."

There was a tense paused before the blue woman cleared her throat, and motioned to the boy at the door. "Look, since you've got nothing better to do, I was wondering if I could ask a favor?"

"Go for it." Dulled brown eyes flickered over to her.

"This kid needs help with his powers-"

"Pyrokinetic?"

"Yep." Mystique clapped a hand down on his shoulder. "Can ya help him out?"

Amy met her son's eyes evenly. Offering him a careless shrug, she pursed her lips. "Sure. Got nothing better to do anyways."

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, my sleep schedule is really fucked lately…but anyways…CLIFFHANGAH! Also, I'm thinking of writing a Aldous Snow (Via Forgetting Sarah Marshall/Get Him to The Greek) oneshot-tell me what you think.


	17. A Double Shot of Rouse

/-New York, 2006-/

Wade glared at his ice cream as he stabbed it with a spoon. Stupid Wriath with his stupid moral guidance and his stupid-

"Are you gonna eat that?

Reasoning skills that always make Wade feel like he should feel guilt even when he already felt guilted-

"Seriously, you're mutilating it."

Deadpool snapped out of his funk to find a young, blonde woman staring at him with concern- or was that hostility? "Yes, I'm gonna eat it, I got it out for a reason." He took a large bit to emphasize his point and flinched. Stupid sensitive teeth.

"Hm." She pursed her lips. "You're Wade Wilson."

"Yep." He took another bite, a smaller one. The pain having quickly resided from his teeth. "who the fuck are you?"

"People call me Flash."

Wade tilted his head, swallowing as he eyed her. "Magneto send you?"

"No."

"Good." He replied cheerfully.

Flash watched him with disgust. It wasn't right. He shouldn't have been in the school. Around children. Around John. She smirked and slid into the seat across from him. He noticed and rolled his eyes.

"Look, girlie, I'm flattered but-"

"So, you're Pyro's dad?"

His hand froze in the shooing motion he was giving her. He lowered it to the hilt of his sword. "Maybe."  
"How's the father-son bonding going?"

"Great!" Wade snapped sarcastically, "we're going fishing next week!"

"I heard you tried to choke him out in the hallway when you found out." She watched she jaw clench momentarily before the smirk returned to his pale, stricken features.

"What? A guy can change his opinion of his newly found, illegitimate teenage rebel of a son?" The mercenary flashed her a tight smile as he bobbed his head in annoyance. "Now if twenty questions is over-"

Flash interrupted him again, eyes innocently wide as she asked, "How's Amy?"

His hand tightened on the hilt. "Fine."

"I heard the Professor wants her out of here. Too much of a disturbance."

"Where'd you hear that?" Wade asked, eying her suspiciously, "Magneto?"

"Over heard those X-Geeks in the hallway." She cracked her knuckles off-handedly. "I figured with your history-"

"What history?"

"Well, you said it yourself," Flash's green eyes sparkled in the bright lights of the kitchen. "You have a son together."

Wade pushed the ice cream container away. "So? I missed the first…" he blinked, "what year is it anyway?"

"2006."

"Eighteen years of his life, what's the rest of it matter?"

The young woman didn't say anything to that, just shook her head.

"Hey! You know what random little girl who decided, oh, hey let's fuck with the chemo patient, no one asked you, okay?" He stood in a haste, knocking the chair over behind him. He jabbed her in the chest with a sharp, bony finger.

A flash hit her suddenly. And her eyes glazed over.

_His bag slipped from his hand as he opened to the door to an empty bed._

"_These pills are for your mutation, these are for the cancer."_

"_-spreading to your bones-"_

"_Chemotherapy is proving ineffective-"_

"_This procedure will improve your healing factor-"_

"_-additional abilities-"_

_A scream of pain as he was dunked under water. _

He stared at her with morbid fascination as the whites of her eyes consumed her irises. "uh-annoying little girl?" Wade twirled the sword around in his hand and gentled poked her in the chest. "Flash?"

_Bullets._

_Blood._

_A whimper of pain from an unknown source._

"F-La-Sh-uh?" He rolled his eyes and tucked the sword back in. Crossing his arms he waited for the fit to pass. Stupid physical mutations.

Eventually the green went back into her eyes and she came out of her stupor.

"All done now?" He asked, earning a weak nod. "Good! Now who the hell do you think you are anyway! Prancing up in here like you have some kind'a moral high ground on me just 'cause I killed a couple hundred people!"

"Yeah-"

"And then you have the gall to question my, admittedly authoritarian parenting skills?" he slammed the sword back into it's seath. "Well, fuck you, ya little hypocrite. You work for the Brotherhood, if you think you have any kind of one up on me morally you're wrong, sister."

"You need to go to the medical bay."

"Like-" Wade stumbled, losing his place in his rant at her tiny request. "What why?  
Flash met his eyes evenly. "They were keeping you sick."

_**-/-/-**_

They stared at each other.

"You know," The woman drawled sarcastically from the hospital bed, "this would go a lot faster if you told me what was wrong with you."

"Nothing's wrong with me." He snapped.

"If nothing was wrong you wouldn't need my help."

John rolled his eyes. "I don't need your help."

"Then why are you still here?"

His gaze fell to the floor.

"Well?" She pressed, moving uncomfortably in her binds.

"Fine." His jaw clenched and he moved to sit next to her bed.

She scoffed, smirking, "fine what?"

"I need your help."

"With?" A fine brow arched at him.

"My abilities." John answered begrudgingly.

"Control or stimulation?"

"Stimulation."

"Hm." She pursed her lips. "I guess if you're gonna stick around, I should know your name."

"Pyro."

She nodded, and pointed to herself. "Amy."

"Thought it was Arson?"

A few sparks emitted from her palms. "It's just Amy nowadays, well." A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth, "that or Subject 514-302."  
"Hm."

She sat up a little straighter, "So. Show me what ya got, kid."

"What?" He blinked. "Now?"

"Well, _yeah_. You're here, I'm here, may as well get somewhere right?"

John nodded and pulled out his lighter. Flipping it open with a casual flick of his wrist he didn't tear his eyes from the flame as it grew, moving further and further away from the flint. Amy's brows rose at his control.

"Hm."

His attention was broken, and the fire disappeared from sight. "What?"

"You're control's quite impressive," She met his eyes head on with her own, "far more advanced then mine was at your age."

"Oh." He almost blushed at the unexpected praise, but forced the feeling down. _This is the chick that abandoned you_, a little voice reminded him, _and you're getting all mushy over an off handed compliment? _  
"So," Amelia drummed her fingers on the bar that lined the bed. She tilted her head curiously at him, taking in his appearance. "why can't you get it working for you?"  
His shoulders rose and fell sheepishly. "Don't know."

"Hm. Well, pyrokinesis is pretty rare, but it almost always goes hand in hand with pyrokinetics," She told him, "what's your focus?"

"My focus?" He echoed, unsure of her meaning.

"Yeah, what'd you focus on when you try to spark up?" _Yet another stupid term coined by Wilson,_ she thought, a soft smile pulling at her lips. Until she remembered his hostility for her and how he rammed her head into a concrete fucking wall…The fire came swiftly to her palms, but Pyro was quick to extinguish it. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"Anyways…focus. It's like, when I was younger, my abilities were usually triggered by the big three; fear, anger, and humiliation. For you it might be different." Dark brown eyes blinked at him. "How do you typically respond to those emotions?"

"Wise ass comments and sleeping." He admitted honestly.

The woman nodded, her black hair moving over her shoulders subtly. "Good, then we can rule those three out." Her legs crossed, the dark red scrubs she was issued scrapping audibly against the sheets of the bed. "What about arousal?"

"Uh-" John felt himself flush before he could stop it. Not something he wanted to talk about with his mom. "I-"

"Don't worry, kid I'm just messing with ya." She smiled at him. "How about joy? Envy?"

He remembered how much stronger his powers had been at the Drakes… "My abilities respond to envy," John admitted. "Not so much joy."

Amy's eyes softened at him. "Same here, kid. It has to be an immense feeling for it to work." She cracked her back, "mm. Okay, focus."

Pyro grit his teeth. He thought about all those times Bobby went home on vacation, all the kids who got adopted before him in the foster homes, he thought about how every girl in the school seemed to pass over him for Colossus or Drake, he thought about how accepting Drake's parents had been-

A spark shot out of his finger tip, and he jerked back at the intense heat that radiated from his hand. Wide eyed and stunned he looked at his mother, who smirked back at him.

"Nice job." Amy's smirk fell into a smile at his shell shocked features. "It's all about focus, John."

"I know, but I didn't thi-" he froze, his warm hands shaking as he stood. Pyro eyed her distrustfully. "You know who I am?"

She nodded.

"How?" His voice was tense, strained even.

"Why else Mystique bring you to me?" She asked, "Not to mention you've got my smirk."

He glared at her, not liking this change of perspective. Without a word, he turned and left her there. With sad eyes she watched him retreat, wondering if perhaps she should have kept the rouse up longer. Sighing, she flopped back on the bed, letting out a disgruntled moan as her head hit the pillow.

A/N: With summer here, and school over, I will be able to update this, and my Vindicated story waaaaay more often. Also, if any one knows someone who would like to do a vid for this story line, I'd be happy to take the suggestion, as the girl who offered, backed out due to copy right claims on youtube. Have a nice night, folks.


	18. Interrupted Plans

(New York, 2006)

Amy crossed and uncrossed her legs for several minutes. The dull throbbing had started back up in the corners of her skull as she thought about her son.

Saint John Allerdyce. In retrospect, Wade's last name probably would have been better. Made it easier for the boy to be a bit more...anonymous. Wilson was common enough, John was common enough, but as selfish as it was, Amy had wanted to give him a piece of herself, something to remember her by. Besides genetics that is.

He had certainly taken after her. With his dark eyes and pouted lips. But, as much as she hated to admit it(at the moment at least) there was flecks of Wade in him as well. Probably where John had got that little rebellious streak that had led him into the open and waiting arms of the Brotherhood.

Dark brown eyes narrowed into a glare as the sound of shuffling feet approached. A familiar voice was prominent among them, and she found herself tilting her head up. "What do you want?"

The Professor rolled easily over to her, "I'm here to discuss your son, Miss Allerdyce."

"What about him?"

"I think it would be beneficial that the two of you spend some time together."

She let out a scoff, "Been there done that, Charlie." Amy tilted her head as Jean approached her. "What'cha doin', there, Grey?"

Remaining silent, the redhead pulled out a needle. Instantly tense, Amy's hands and arms went up in flames. "Keep that away from me."

"Now, Amelia," The Professor was using the same condescending tone he had used on her when she was a child. She didn't appreciate it. "It's for your own good."

The fire whipped out erratically in the old man's direction and Jean took this as a chance to plunge the needle in the soft skin of Amy's neck. A low whimper slipped from her lips as the flames died out. She fell back onto the bed unconscious as Leon entered.

His ruby gaze switched from Xavier to Jean. "What the hell are you doing?"

"This is the only way to keep her stable, Leon, you know that." The Professor reasoned. "She's a danger to herself and everyone around her if-"

"If you keep her locked up like an animal?" Leon spat. "Great way to introduce her back into society."

"Now you know as well as anyone what a hazard she can be, and we have deemed this the best solution until-"

"Until what? You cure her?"

There was a heavy silence.

Eyes wide, the green man let out a harsh, unforgiving chuckle, "You-you're not actually thinking-"

"If you knew half of the damage she's done, Leon, you would understand!" Xavier snapped, "I know it's extreme, but for the safety of the children it must be done."

"Professor," Jean said quietly, "maybe we could wait a bit longer, see how she interacts with the others…"

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Jean. You saw how she reacts to being in the very presence of people. People she knew."

"She was chained up!" Leon said, defending the restless mercenary on the bed. Her feet twitched at the end of it as he went on. "We've been chained up for years, you can't expect us to react well to it!"

Xavier closed his eyes, and motioned to Jean to follow as he turned to leave. "She has one week to improve, Leon. Or neither she, nor you, will be welcome in the mansion."

As she passed, the doctor placed a sympathetic hand on the mutant's shoulder. "Good luck."

"Yeah," He rubbed his eyes with a jade green thumb and forefinger, "I'll need it."

_**-/-/-**_

Wade didn't rush down to the med bay like Hannah expected. Instead, he very calmly walked up the steps to his room. Opened the door, and began slashing everything on his side to ribbons.

Much to the surprise of John, who had been sitting on his own bed, glaring at the TV.

"_Son of a bitch! I'll slit his fucking throat that worthless son of a whore!_" The blade cut flawlessly through the dry wall, and soon pink fluffs of insulation began puffing out of the new holes. "_How could he! I was his best! That little beady eyed, cocking sucking piece of shit!_"

Pyro's eyes widened. "Are-"

"_Took my girl! Took my kid! Took my fucking life!" _With both hands gripping the hilt, Wade began to stab at his mattress, mercilessly shredding it to pieces with each painstakingly broken cry_, "Everything! A fucking waste!" _

A fire ball zoomed past his head and the man froze as his son made his existence known. "Knock it off," John warned, "Xavier'll pitch a fit if he finds you trashing the room."

Not saying anything, Deadpool sheathed his sword. For a long moment he kept his back to the boy, who, when the rampage had ceased, went back to the screen. It was muted, and Amy's picture moved over it, skipping in some parts, but otherwise a pristine image of what she had been.

Wade sighed and turned to face him. His eyes shifted to the television set and he winced involuntarily at its image. With a sullen huff he dropped down on the bed next to John. The young man didn't say anything, just shot him an annoyed look before turning back to the tape. It softened when he noticed the dark bags and dejected expression on the man's face. He looked well…pathetic wasn't the right word. Heart broken, maybe.

"So…John, right?" Wade's tone held a false breeziness to it, and he didn't tear his eyes from the screen.

"Yeah."

"Hm." A pale finger tapped the hilt attached to his hip. Quickly, he jerked his hand away from it and stuck it out to John. "I'm Wade. I helped spawn you." His eyes narrowed deviously at him. "You're _welcome_."

Chuckling out of shock, the boy grasped his hand. "I know."

"Of course you do," He picked up the other tape, "I see Jimmy gave you my farewell."

"Who?" his brows furrowed together.

Wade tilted his head to the side, speaking in a slow precise manner. "James? James Logan? Usually skulks around the kitchen?"

John stared at him "you know _Logan_?"

_**-/-/-**_

Downstairs, Amy was waking, much to Leon's pleasure. "Oh, puddin', I have never been happier to see those chocolate eyes of yours."

"Leo?" She blinked hazily at him, rubbing her eyes with tired, aching fingers. Realization dawned quickly, and she threw the sheets off her with a flourish.

"Amy, calm down."

"Calm down! Calm down? The ancient prick had me tied to a bed for christ's sake!" She shrieked, stomping her foot as she fought back the vertigo that was effectively spinning her world. Her left hand clamped down on a medical supply stand, steadying her slightly. Pointing an accusing finger at him, she asked, "why should I calm down?"

"Because Xavier will make you get the cure if you don't." He answered honestly, his own hands shoved deeply in his pockets.

Her head tilted, "cure for what?" Leon shot her a pointed look and she stared at him. "Seriously, the cure for what?"

So he told her, watching as her face slackened from curiosity to doubt to sadness.

"He'd really do that to me? Just because of a little fire?"

"If he thinks you're a danger to his students," Leon nodded, "he might, cream puff."

Amy crossed her arms. "Well. Then I guess the only thing I can do is leave."

"What about Wade and John?"

Her eyes dropped to the ground. Clearing her throat she murmured, "they'll be better off with out me," A sigh escaped her lips, "like Xavier said, I'm dangerous."

"When you were a kid." Green hands dropped comfortingly onto her narrow shoulders, "Amy, you've matured a little bit since then."

"I just- I just don't want any one to get hurt."

"They won't." He brushed some of her dark hair back, "how 'bout this, angelcake-"

"Please stop calling me pastries."

"If you still want to go at the end of the week, I'll let you go." Leon promised. She thought it over as he continued to sell the idea. "You could get to know John a little better, talk to Wade about what happened, maybe work things out-"

"I don't want to work things out with Wade!" She snapped. "He bounced my head off a concrete floor!"

"I know, but he loves you, I can tell."

She scoffed, "oh how would you know?"

Leon shot her a condescending look and tapped his temple.

"Oh, right, sorry."

He pulled her to his chest and held her tightly. "Just give it a week, okay?"

There was a weary silence before she nodded. "Okay."

"Amy?"

"Yeah?"

"You could really use a shower."

"…yeah."

A/N: Alright, I'd like to hear some opinions on where you think this story is going, and whether or not you'd like to see a John/OC spin-off(a very short one) up on my page.


	19. Confrontational Manners

Amy stared at herself in the mirror. Tilting her head, she noticed with distaste how her hair fell in her eyes. Popping the medicine cabinet open, she pulled a pair of scissors from it and set to work, rectifying the problem.

A few minutes later an expected knock came on the door and she opened it to find Leon.

"Here." He passed her a small bundle of clothes and a small purse. "I borrowed these off a girl about your height."

"Thanks."

His red eyes perked at the sight shortened pixie cut. "Hm."

The woman groaned, "What now, Leo?"

"Wade always did-"

"We are not having this conversation while I am naked, Mr. Alexander." She snapped, shutting the door in his face. The towel fell to the floor and she pulled the jeans on with haste.

_**-/-/-**_

Logan was head first in the refrigerator when he noticed John out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, kid."

"You knew them."

"Huh?" He poked his head out of the cool air to see the boy glaring heatedly at him, Wade a few feet away…still shirtless for no apparent reason. Cyclops had offered him clothes, or at least more sensible clothes, and the man had scoffed at him and said something about nature and going commando. "Who?"

"Wade and Amy." Pyro snapped, "and you never mentioned it!"

Logan shrugged, "I forgot."

"Told you." Wade said with considerably less hostility then the boy. Maybe even with sympathy. "He's got a bullet in the brain kiddo. It's no surprise he went all day time soap on us." At the queer looks he received, he explained, "amnesia? They still have soaps, right?"

The teen let out a disgruntled noise before plopping down onto a stool. He flicked his lighter open and shut as the men went on to discuss how they knew each other.

"Are you kidding?" Wade chirped, "you're Amy's own personal pregnancy test."

It was at this moment that John, as in John Wraith, made his entrance. Clad in one of his classically terrible cowboy shirt, hat and boots, he nodded to the standing men. "Wade. Jimmy." He cast a look at the boy who ignored him, "Little John."

He looked up at that. "What?"

"Bad pun, sorry." His hand to him, "I'm John Wraith. You're Amy's boy, right?"

Unsure how to answer, the teen just shook his hand. The man didn't seem offended, instead choosing rather to speak with his father. "Just stoppin' in to say goodbye."

A flicker of worry set in Wade's eyes before disappearing. "Oh?"

"Where ya headed, bub?" Logan asked, eying the cowboy's bag.

"Back to Vegas, see if I can get a hold'a Dukes, get a place." He told them nonchalantly. "I was actually just coming up from the med lab…any of you seen Amy?"

"Yeah, I was down there earlier." Pyro said. And that was all he had said on the matter.

"No…Jean said she was checked out, I meant where is she now."

The two related males froze at the news while Logan sniffed the air. "Hm."

"What?" Wraith asked, grabbing his bag.

"She upstairs. I'll get her."

"Thanks." The dark skinned man grinned, flashing a set of white teeth. "I owe you one, Jim."

The man let out a grunt of annoyance as he left the kitchen_. Jimmy my ass_, he thought, stomping up the stairs. _At least Wolverine's a cool name, Jimmy's a kid who gets beat up on the playground and forced to eat sand_.

"So, where ya stayin' I Vegas?" Wade asked, sticking his hands deep in his pockets in a casual manner.

"Leon gave me the keys to his old place."

The bald man nodded appreciatively, "that's a nice place. Kind'a big for one person though."

"Yeah," Wraith grabbed the army pack from the ground and set it on the table infront of John. "But Apollo mentioned he was thinkin' of openin' the hostels doors back up, and he'll need the helping hands."

"Hm. You were always quite the boy scout." Deadpool quipped, "it'll be awkward without your guilt trips, man. Don't know what I'll do for entertainment."

Wraith shot him a humorous glare, "you could always, you know, make up with Amelia, Wade."

"No." He replied stubbornly. Wade stamped his foot on the tiled floor for good measure.

Pyro chuckled idly as the stomping returned on the steps, and the kitchen was soon greeted by a new female and of course, Logan.

"Don't get made at me about it, I didn't do it to you." The woman shrugged, ignoring the larger man's eye twitch and head shake. Amy dropped her gaze to Wraith's bag, that landed a few inches deep on his thiegh. "You're leaving?"

"'Fraid so, darlin'."

"Suburban life proving too much for you?" She asked, a weak smile pulling at her lips as she effectively ignored the other people –especially the people she was related to, i.e, John(the 'little' one)- in the room. Her hands were stuck in her back pockets of the borrowed jeans.

Wraith smirked, his eyes dancing behind his aviator glasses. Amy briefly wondered where he had found them before he answered her, "I'm headin' up to Leon's place, you know the one up in Nevada?"

She nodded, "yeah," her voice was vague, "I remember."

Pyro glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He noticed her indifference, but was unsure how to respond to it. So he took to glowering at her. Ignoring the pang of rejection he felt when she didn't so much as send a fleeting look in his direction. Wade dropped Pyro one though, as he noticed the teen's shoulders slump somewhat. A growl rose in his throat, but didn't leave his lips.

"You gonna be alright all by yourself, girlie?" Wraith asked, unaware, or perhaps purposely neglecting, of the tension growing in the room. "It's a big mansion, you could get lost."

Amy's shoulders bobbed up and down. "I ain't gonna be here long enough to get lost, John."

Quirking a brow, the man tilted his head. "Really?"

"Yeah, the air in this place is stifling." She rolled her eyes, dismissing Wade's hurt stare.

Wraith put a hand on her shoulder. "Have you thought about coming back to Vegas?"

"Yeah." She drawled in a nonchalant, uncaring manner that irked just about everyone in the kitchen. "Can't go anywhere 'til I square my debt up with Victor though." A playful smile rose to her lips. "Say what you will about the psycho but at least he didn't become some whiny bitch of a house pet." Her dark brown eyes strayed over to Logan, "with a gay hair cut."

There was an audible *_shinkt_* as Wolverine's claws popped out involuntarily, and she smirked.

Wraith wrapped her up in a hug that lasted a total of six second before he pulled back. "Walk me out?"

She nodded as he turned to the others. "Wade." The pair nodded to each other, and Wraith addressed Logan, "Jim. You know, I'm sure Dukes would love to hear from you. You should stop by Apollo's sometime." His smirk widened as he looked at the young man who was now watching their (Wraith and Amy's) exchange with curiosity. "Little John."

"I told you to stop calling him that," Amy said, shaking her head at the taller man.

With a quirked smile, Wraith put a hand on the small of her back and ushered her out the door.

There was a moment of silence before Wade spoke. "Your hair cut _is_ pretty gay, Logan."

_**-/-/-**_

"You should call your folks, Amy."

The woman sighed and rubbed her tired eyes as Wraith waited for his cab. "John-"

"Amy."

"It's been twenty years, Wraith, they probably think I'm dead."

He stared at her as the taxi pulled up to the curb. "You should get back together with Wade, Amy."

"Why?"

"Because you love him." He opened the door and threw his bag in, "oh, and Amy?"

"Yeah?"

"Call your parents. You'll feel better."

_**-/-/- **_

John was the only one left in the kitchen when she returned. Wade and Logan had gone, or rather, Logan had stormed off and Wade had followed him, seeing taunting him as a potential form of entertainment. He looked up when she entered, but dropped his gaze to the table when she didn't look back.

Amy kept her back to him. Unsure how to act around him, she popped the fridge open and riffled through it for a few seconds. Her jaw set as she realized there was nothing but wholesome, nutritious food inside. Amy let out a groan as she shut it harshly, "some things never change." She murmured, crossing her arms and leaning against the machine.

Uncomfortable with the silence, John broke it rather gruffly. "So. How long you gonna stick around this time?"

"Dunno," she drawled, equally slow and void of emotion. "They're making me stay a week."

"Hm."

"So." She slid into the stool across from him, one seat to his left. "You're with the Brotherhood now."

"Yep." Pyro smirked at her, "like you said, this place is stifling."

"So you said fuck the world and ran off with the supposed bad guys?"

He nodded, "Pretty much."

"Huh."

His own dark gaze narrowed at her. "What?"

"Guess we're not different as you think there, Johnnycakes." She winked at him. "Now," Amy pushed back her stool, shooting him a dry look, "where do the kids keep their stash?"

"What?" John shook the warm, almost nostalgic feeling from his chest as he blinked.

"I know they got one."

"Like drugs or-"

"No-what? I meant like chips, soda, something that'll probably lead to some kind of congenital heart failure in my later years." Pausing, she stared at him as he continued to sit there. "You're totally not gonna help me out with this are you, kid?"

He rolled his eyes at the term, but stood regardless. "I haven't been here in a while, how the hell should I know where it is."

"What about car keys? You gotta have car keys, right?"

"Why are you obsessing about this? Just grab a freaking granola bar."

Amy's lips pursed into a thin line as she approached him. He was a good six inches taller then her, but was still slightly intimidated by her harsh, unwavering stare. "John." Her hands smacked down on his shoulders and he went to shake her off. Her gripped tightened instantly. "I have been fed intravenously for the past fifteen years- my first meal is not going to be any kind of vitamin or supplement. Do you understand?"

"Yes." He nodded. Swallowing as she took her hands away, he rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. "Why were you-"

"People started purposely choking on their food." His mother told him stoically. "So they took it away."

"Cheerful." He quipped sarcastically, following her down the hall. "So…you were there fifteen years?"

She corrected him off-handedly, keeping an eye out for any one who may have been eavesdropping. "Sixteen."

"Oh." John grit his teeth, "and the first two years of my life?"

"Mostly spend avoiding Styker and hopping from place to place."

"Place to place as in…?"

A fine brow quirk, she shot him a condescending glance. "You wanna talk about this now?"

"Why not? Planning on running off again before I have a chance to?" He snapped. Grabbing her arm without thinking, he jerked her back. On already unsteady feet, Amy toppled over pretty easily, crashing into the desk that was a few feet away. Smoldering eyes glared down at her, and his grip tightened as the skin under it began to glint at a darkening yellow before fading to pale, white skin. "I've been waiting long enough, _Amy_ and I think it's time I got some answers!"

Hand aflame, she knocked him roughly away from her with a firm shove to the chest. "Look, kid. I know you probably have some kind of issue- mommy or otherwise- but this kind of crap ain't gonna work on me. I tried to give you a good home, and you know what, it's not my problem if you didn't like what ever little house you were plopped into." Her lips pulled back in a snarl, "Take it up with the jerk that raised you. I was a little busy keeping you out of the concentration camp."

With a final disgusted look she stormed away from him. Hot tears in her eyes, she brushed past Mystique who had been listening from the bottom stairway. She watched her old friend barge up them with little grace.

Sighing the blue woman shook her head. "Nice going."

"She started it!"

"Pyro, one day you'll learn that not everything that happens is as black and white as you like to think it is."

His eyes widened subtly, "Mystique, just how well did you know my mom? I mean, if I stayed with you-"

"We were close." She replied briskly, "admittedly closer then I've led you to believe."

"You lied to me." John said, shaking his head. "I'm an adult, when are you people going to realize that!"

"Fine." Mystique said, her unique voice hinting at anger, "you want to be treated like an adult? I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"What?" He stared at her in disbelief, "why didn't you offer this years ago!"

Her eyes softened, "because I thought she was dead, and it was too difficult to talk about it."

John huffed silently before nodding sympathetically. "Oh."

"Well, come on then. I haven't got all night."

_**-/-/-**_

A/N: Okay, I mentioned to a reviewer that the explanation of the hate-on Amy's got for Xavier would be in this chapter, but I've decided to push that convo back a bit. As we are reaching the climax of our story, the chapters will be a little longer with a lot of primary character interaction, including of course, Wade/Amy. BUT if there is any questions you feel should be addressed, feel free to message me with them, or would just like to see(note; make a happy ending is not a question to be addressed, lol). There are about five chapters left people. Now is the time to start addressing the questions.

God i'm going to miss writing Wraith. I love that guy.


	20. Answers and Reconciliation

Wade glared at the unmistakably empty chair that was parallel to the hospital bed he would soon be occupying. He heard Jean explaining to him that the process of detoxing could be slightly uncomfortable, but his healing factor should take care of most of the more severe side effects. He ignored her, choosing instead to grunt and get into the bed.

_**-/-/-  
**_Amy stared up at the ceiling as a young woman entered the room. Sparing her a glance, she said nothing as the brunette began sorting through her own belongings. This must have been one of the students she was shacked up with.

"Are those my jeans?"

"Yep."

"They look nice."

Amy looked up, cocking a brow at the young woman. "Thanks." Her dark eyes surveyed the girl with interest, noting the white streak in her hair and soft accent. "What'd they call you?

"Rouge." She said, smiling at her. "You must be John's-" Cutting her off with a groan, Amy flopped back onto the bed. "…mom." Rouge finished lamely. "I take it, it's not going well?"

"He's a little prick." Amelia told her, glaring up at the white ceiling. "Gets it from his prick of a father."

There was a pause before the girl let out a low, "oh."

"You know him?" Amy asked.

"Yeah, I mean, we were friends." Rouge said, turning back to her drawers. "He's always been kind'a…"

"Kind of…" the woman on the bed echoed. "Kind of what, Rouge?"

"Sad."

"Hm."

"And angry, I guess."

Sighing, Amy shook her head. "Yeah, I figured he had some rage issues when I heard he ran off and joined the Brotherhood."

"Well, he never really, fit in here, you know?" Rouge said empathetically, "it was hard for him."

"Family trait." A pale hand slipped through short dark hair as she sat up. "This school's helped a lot of people, girlie." She smirked, "just not a lot of Allerdyces."

Rouge opened her mouth to ask when she had been here, but the door jerked open before she had the chance. Leon stepped in with haste, glaring at the pyrokinetic. "What're you doing up here?"

"Gossiping about John, what're you doing up here?"

Rolling his eyes, he nodded to Rouge, "can you give us a second, there, kitten?"

"Um, sure." The girl flashed Amy a weak smile as she retreated from the room.

"What?" She pressed, sitting up on the bed. "What is it?"

"One," Leon held up a finger, "don't blow off your baby, he's sensitive."

"Are we talking about John or Wade?"

"Both, but right now John. And two," He held up a second finger, "you have to go down to the med bay."

Her head cocked to the side, she asked, "why?"

"Wade's down there."

"Again, why?" Amy swung her legs over the side of the bed, "and more importantly, why should I care?"

His coloured gaze was harsh, and his tone spoke volumes as he shook his head at her. "Because he was there for you, Amy."

With a sigh, the woman brushed past him.

_**-/-/-**_

"So," Pyro started, sitting next to Mystique on the wooden bench in the garden. The sun was frustratingly bright, but it seemed to be the only solitary place in the school, so it would have to do. "How'd you meet my mom?"

"I was one of her first missions, she was supposed to bring me back to the base for experimentation." The woman's dark navy skin seemed almost lighter in the sunlight, but not much.

"Why didn't she?" He pressed to her dismay.

Remembering her pact of honesty, she grit her teeth a moment before relenting. "I was pregnant."

"You have a kid?" John shouted. The shock was apparent on his face, but she just shrugged it off.

"No. I _had_ a kid. It's not the same thing, Pyro."

There was a hitch in her tone that told him to lay off, and he did. It was probably best not to upset her, seeing as she could (and undoubtedly _would_) kick his ass. "Right…anyway, why'd she leave?"

"Usually she left because Styker was getting to close." Mystique told him, shifting on the bench. "But Victor always called a day in advance, to give her a chance to escape."

"Why?"

She shrugged, "never told me. I think it was one of those loyalty things that go 'round in the army." Her yellow eyes leveled at him, "but make no mistake, if Wade had been with you, or even Wraith, she wouldn't've been given that leniency."

His brow quirked upward. "Why not?"

"Because, as crazy as it sounds, Victor is a gentleman. He won't kill a kid for no reason, much less one with no protection." She told him, going on after a second, "and Amy was no threat to him. He could've, and I bet would've, killed her if you weren't around."

"Oh." John blinked. "So, she kind of owes me her life, right?" he smirked, but it fell when Mystique scoffed at him.

"God no." She shook her head, "if she'd never gotten pregnant this whole thing could've been avoided."

"This whole thing?" He repeated, "What whole thing?"

"Being kept in a small cage in experimented on. Well," she pursed her lips, "at least put off for a while. The only reason they had any real interest in her is because they wanted to see how her body would react to experimentations during pregnancy, and of course, how the fetus would respond to it."

His brown eyes flickered sadly. "So, what you're saying, is that I'm the reason she's miserable?"

"No. She never regretted her decision." Mystique patted his knee. "Not once, kid. In fact she went in voluntarily to keep you out of there."

"Oh. Why?"

She stared at him. "She's your mother. She loves you."

His eyes dropped to the ground. Unsettled by the new information, he changed the topic. "So, what's the deal with Wade and Amy?"

"He loves her, she loves him, their both idiots." She snipped, but her lips suggested that she was amused. "They'll get over it."

"You think?"

Mystique shrugged, "I hope."

_**-/-/-**_

The trip to the med bay was short, but not easy. Somewhere along the way, a young man by the name of Robert Drake fell in step with her. Regarding him with unimpressed despondence, she kept walking.

"You're rooming with Rouge, right? She's my girlfriend. Are you getting along, alright? Finding everything okay?"

"Not much has changed since I left, Tommy."

"Bobby," he corrected, glad she was engaging in conversation with him. "I was one of the people who helped put out the fire in the med lab?"

"Hm."

"Hey, uh, about John-"

"Look, I'm trying okay, but some things just need time alright?" She snapped, quickening her pace.

Bobby winced, "I just wanted to know if he was okay."

Amy stopped. She looked up at the boy with pity. "Let me guess, you filled the friend role 'til he ran off with Magneto?"

"I thought I did."

"He seems fine." She shrugged, "a little angsty, but fine."

"Good." He said, smiling warmly at her. "It was nice meeting you."

He stopped outside the door that led into the hall down from the med bay. "Yeah whatever," she drawled, not pausing her steps.

_**-/-/-**_

Wade lay panting on the bed when she entered. His face contorted in a grimace of pain, his eyes squeezed harshly shut as sweat rolled from his pores, effectively but savagely, expelling the poison from his body. Muttering incoherently about 'that bitch of a redhead' he buried his face deeper in the pillow at the sound of approaching footsteps.

Amy peered down at him with concern eyes. "Wade?" His eyes shot open, and he flinched at the bright lights that hung above her head. "Wade, what're they doing to you?" Hesitantly, she ran her fingers over his moist cheek.

Closing his eyes, he moved away from her touch. "Don't."

"Okay." Her hand slipped from his face, and she dropped down into the empty chair next to his bed.

"Amy?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you still here?"

"Mostly?" She sighed, "guilt."

His light eyes peeked open at that. "Oh?" She nodded. He did as well, added a; "well you should."

"What? Feel guilty?"

"Damn right." Wade groaned and went to sit up, but a sturdy, warm hand on his shoulder stopped him. Amy pushed him gently back into the bed. He ignored the familiar sensation of her touch, going on to say, "you've been treating me like shit."

"I know."

"Ignoring me."

"I know."

"Ignoring _John_." He accused. When she didn't deny it, he went on, "seriously what the hell is your problem?"

She sighed and let out a shrug. "I don't know. It's weird, you know, seeing him as an adult. Seeing how much I missed."

"At least you got to see him as a baby!" Wade said, the edge in his voice only broken by his weak tone and low volume. "God, Amy, why didn't you tell me?"

"I panicked."

"Do-" He froze at the sound of footsteps, but they past by the lab without slowing, so he went on. "Do you think I would've been a good father?" Her dark eyes hinted at an answer he didn't want to hear. "Yeah, I didn't think so either."

"It's not that." Amy said, running a hand over her eyes. "It's just…I think it would've been a lot more complicated, if you had been there."

"Why?"

She shot him a pointed glance, "well. There's the cancer. Speaking of which, why didn't you tell me about that? According to Victor you knew for weeks, even before I found out I was pregnant."

"I didn't want you getting all worked up." He shrugged, smirking as a few beads of sweat slid onto his pillow. "You always were the emotional one of the group, Ames."

"I would've-"

"What?" he cut her off, sarcastically, "come back?"

She shook her head, "I don't know. Probably not. But I would've like to have known. Were you hiding treatments from me, too, or-"

"No, I wasn't. You can't hide that kind of thing, Amy. It's obvious."

Her fingers drummed the rail of the bed. "Is that what this is?"

"No. This is just detox."

"Oh." Biting her lip, Amy felt an awkward stillness in her chest. "Wade?"

"Yeah?"

"Why'd you believe them? Styker, I mean. About the pregnancy and stuff."

He blinked heavily, "I didn't think they would lie to me." His stare was hurt, and Amy felt herself get a little misty eyed at the sight of it. Her fingers slipped from the rail to his hand, and his still boney fingers intertwined with hers. "They lied to me about everything. You, John, hell they even lied to me about the cancer." He chuckled darkly, pulling her hand closer to him. "I must be some kind'a gullible sap, huh?"

When she didn't say anything, he looked up at her. A few tears were rolling her cheeks and a pang of white heat went through him. "Amy?"

"I'm sorry." Her voice broke in midsentence and her lips quivered. "I…I didn't think it would be that bad."

He tightened the hold on her hand. "What?"

"I thought they'd tell you I was dead, or missing or something I didn't think they'd make up some dramatic story." She wiped her tears away roughly with the back of her hand. "Fuck." She muttered. Chuckling humorlessly, she shook her head.

"Amy." She looked down at him. Wade continued absentmindedly, "you look better with short hair."

A fine blush lined her cheeks, but she just nodded. "I know."

"_Conceited_." He smiled, pulling her arm a little closer to him. "Come here, Ames."

She got into bed with him, wrapping her arms firmly around his fragile frame. "I'm not going to delude myself into believing this means I'm forgiven."

"You shouldn't." He sighed, her dry clothes a comfort from his damp sheets, "I've hated you a long time, Amy." Wade looked up at her, "it's hard to just turn that off."

"I know."

"I mean, I want to. But…it's too weird. Too soon. Same with John. But let's more awkward then hatred." He moved, settling on her chest with familiar ease.

Amy ran her fingers delicately over his scalp. "We had a fight."

"Yeah?" Wade murmured, "about what? Me? And my wonderful roommate skills?"

"You're rooming with him?"

"Yep."

She shook her head, "well, no, not that. He asked a question, and I didn't want to answer it."

"What question?" Wade asked, closing his eyes at the pleasant sensation.

"Just where I'd been the first few years of his life." She told him, shifting her legs on the mattress. "I don't think he knows I was there for it. Just that I was captured when he was two."

"Why'd you leave?"

"Styker found us, well, me. Used a different team, so Victor couldn't help me." Amy leaned back, and Wade followed, "said I could either hand over the kid or come back to the Island, no questions asked. I made him sign a contract that he wouldn't go looking for John, and he complied. End of story."

"Hm." His fingers ran up her arm. "And those little visits you paid me?"

"They wanted to see how you'd react to having a familiar face around."

"I attacked you didn't I?" His voice was almost meek and almost guilty.

Her shoulders rose and fell in a nonchalant motion. "Sometimes. But it wasn't your fault. Well, except that _last_ time."

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

_**-/-/-**_

"So." Leon looked at Mystique. "You tell him about his folks?"

"Yep."

"Tell him about Kurt?"

She tilted her head up at him. "Why would I do that?"

"No reason. Just full disclosure and all that." Leon took a seat next to her on the bench. John had gone inside sometime earlier with the promise that any other questions he may have, that Mystique simply didn't know the answer to, would be answer by Leon. But the older man was avoiding him. "She's not gonna stay you know."

"I know."

"And she's not going to join the Brotherhood."

Her yellow eyes flickered a moment, "I don't think there's going to be a Brotherhood to join."

"Really?" He didn't seem terribly surprised, nor disappointed.

"Most of the members have decided Xavier's is a better fit for them…and you know how much the Brotherhood relies on impressionable youth, Apollo."

Leon nodded, "I know. But, maybe it's for the best. You could reconcile with Kurt-"

"He's one of them now." She said firmly, "and Brotherhood or not, my alliance lies with Magneto."

A green hand slipped over her blue one, "you can have both."

She sighed, pulling her hand away from his. "I really can't."

"Too bad. I was just getting used to having you around again, Misty." He smiled at her with a softness that was unique to his harsh features.

Mystique's heart sunk in her chest at its appearance. "Leon…"

"Yeah?"

"My real name's Raven. Raven Darkholme."

"Oh?" He seemed surprised by her forth coming. "That's a lovely name. You should go by it more often."

A small smile pulled at her lips as she stood. "I should _go_."

"Raven?"

"Yeah?"

His red eyes took in her features. "If you ever need anything, I'll be in Vegas." His hand rose to her cheek. "Anything at all, sweetheart."

She nodded before going back into the school. He watched her go a moment before dropping back onto the bench.

"Hello, Apollo."

His blood ran cold at the voice, and he slowly craned his neck to see Victor Creed standing behind him.

"Miss me?"

A/N: I hope this turned out okay…and the Apollo/Mystique thing was spur of the moment kind of thing, because I think the two fit (no he is not the baby daddy). And as the brotherhood IS disbanding, I thought she should have someplace to go(or at least an option to) Amy's option will be discussed in the next chapter, as will her dealings with Creed and John…and probably where John's name comes from. The Xavier speech will be in the finale.


	21. Squared Debts

Apollo winced as he was dropped onto the steps of Xavier's School for the Gifted. A surge of pain shot through him as he one of them dug into his side, pressing against what he was sure was at least three broken ribs. Blood gushed out of his broken nose and one of his horn, which protruded from his brow, had been ripped off in the fight.

Victor seemed no worse for wear however, as he crouched down to speak to the battered mutant. "Now. Where'd you say Arson was?"

Leon shook his head, "I don't know."

"Now, look, I think I've been pretty damn patient here, Alexander." The moon light reflected off his fangs as he bared them threateningly. "You ain't gonna like me when my patience runs out."

"She's gone. Left this morning."

"See now yer just lying." Victor grabbed the back of his neck and forced his head against the pavement into a quick, brutal blow. "I don't like that!"

The green man let out a groan of pain as Creed's talons buried themselves in to his skin. His vision was getting hazy and in a last ditch attempt to get away from the man he reached around and caught his arm. Victor's black eyes glazed over a moment, and the grip loosened but he didn't let go.

"Nice try, but that-"

Taking his empathy up another notch, he watched as Creed winced at the sudden pain in his side. He was quick to detangle himself from Leon. "Tell Amy to meet me at noon. She'll know where."

Sighing with relief, the broken man fell back against the cool pavement as Victor disappeared from sight. He was there until sunrise, when Storm came out to water the garden.

_**-/-/-**_

Wade and Amy were fast asleep when Jean levitated the unconscious Leon onto the examination table. Storm followed closely, sparing the pair a surprised glance.

"When did it happen?" she asked, referring to Apollo. Her fingers spun the necklace she wore nervously, "will he be okay?"

"From what I can gather," Jean tore the man's shirt off to inspect the purple bruises that littered his sternum. "About ten thirty pm last night. And he should be fine. If not in a little pain."

Red eyes blinked open in a haze, and Storm quickly leaned over him. "Leon, sweetie, can you hear me?"

"Amy." He grabbed the doctor's hand, "get her." He struggled for breathe a moment, and his grip slackened slightly.

The woman glanced that the dozing couple. With a less than empathetic hand, Storm had rain begin to pour on them. They woke with a jerk, and the storm passed, though they were both soaked to the bone.

"What the hell was that?" Wade asked, looking down at Amy, who seemed just as astounded as he was.

Her eyes quickly flew over to the teachers, "what was that for?"

"Did you do this to him?" Ororo demanded, pointing to Leon, who was still struggling to stay awake. Amy's head poked up a little higher, and upon realizing who it was, jumped off the bed.

"What the hell happened to him?" She snapped, glaring at Storm, "I thought this place was safe?"

"It is!" The other woman snapped.

Wade sat up, running a hand over his scalp. "Is that Leon?"

"Yes." Jean answered, bandaging the gash on his forehead where one of his horns had once been.

Leaning over him, the pyrokinetic spoke in a quiet, soothing tone. "Leo? Sweetie, what happened?"

His hazy red eyes locked on her brown ones. "Creed."

Her blood ran cold as she backed away, but only slightly. "What'd he say, Leon?"

"Noon. You know where." His voice was raspy. Exhausted, he sighed and leaned back on the table.

"What's he talking about, Amy?" Storm asked, an edge in her voice, she grabbed the woman's arm as she turned away.

"I have to go." Pulling her arm from her tight grasp, Amelia ran out of the med lab and up the stairs.

_**-/-/-**_

Xavier's brows rose as she barged into his office, "Amelia, what a-"

He stopped however, when she continued to approach him, moving swiftly around his desk and pulled him out from its seat. "What are you doing?" His voice was in its ever state of calm as she forcibly, but not roughly, moved him aside. Without speaking, she crouched down and stuck her hand under the desk.

There was a flicker of light, and a small pop before she retracted it, a small key ring now in her hand.

"Am-"

"Do you know what time it is?" Amy interrupted, shifting uncomfortably in her wet clothes.

He glanced at his watch. "Almost seven thirty." She went to turn but her voice stopped her. "Amelia?"

Amy didn't take her hand off the doorknob, nor did she turn back to look at him. "Yes?"

"I was wondering, if you would consider convincing John to stay at the mansion."

That got her attention however, and she tilted her head toward him slightly. "Why?"

"While John was not an exceptionally well behaved student, he was rather bright." Xavier wheeled around his desk to look out the window. "He is only in need of a few credits in order to graduate, Amelia. It would be a pity for his potential to go to waste."

"Hm." Without any further interruptions, Amy left the room.

_**-/-/-**_

"Did he say Creed? 'Cause it sounded like he said Creed." Wade pressed, hovering over the women as they continued to fawn over Leon(who was now dozing comfortably).

"Yes, Mister Wilson," the doctor said dryly, "I believe he did, now you really should be resting."

"I feel fine." Wade shrugged, brushing off the previous day's side effects, "now did he mean like Victor Creed?"

"You know Sabertooth?" Storm asked. She seemed generally unsurprised, but perhaps a bit weary, "how?"

"We roomed together for about a week before he threw me out a window." Wade told her, bouncing anxiously up and down on the balls of his feet. "He meant that one right?"

"Probably." Jean took a moment to appraise the man's current state, "you look considerably better than you did yesterday."

"Hey, I always look good, now, did he say where Amy was suppose to go?" The women shook their heads and he let out a groan, flopping back onto the bed. "Damn."

_**-/-/-**_

Rouge let out a quiet moan as she was stirred from her slumber by jostling on the other side of the room. "Amy?"

"Go back to sleep," She said, burrowing through a large wardrobe that stood against the wall parallel to the door. The young woman ignored her, sitting up in her bed and rubbing the sleep from her brown eyes ineffectively.

"What're you doin'?"

Rolling her eyes, Amy got the feeling the girl wasn't about to go back to sleep. "You got a bag? Like a duffel bag or a backpack?"

"Mm," Rouge stood unsteadily before pursing her lips. "No, mine ripped last week. But I know where you can get one." She nodded to the door, "Come with me."

The two walked down the hall to the boys wing. Which smelled exactly the same has it had when Amelia had gone there, much to her dismay. Rouge stopped at the third door on the right, and knocked loudly. A moment passed. No answer. So the teenage girl took it upon herself to enter.

"Uh-Rouge?"

"Yeah?"

Amy shot her a displeased look, "what're you doing?"

"Getting you a duffel bag." She answered with a shrug. Ducking into the room, there were a few faint whispers before she reappeared, a medium sized grey sports bag in hand. She passed it to Amy, but held tight, preventing the woman from moving. "You're not leaving are you?"

"Not yet." The woman told her.

Rouge smiled brightly, "good. You should get changed, you're tracking water all through the school."

Nodding, Amy followed her back to the dorm room. Pulling off the jeans Rouge had more or less given her, the woman sighed. "Uh, girlie?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna borrow some more clothes, okay?"

"Sure." Rouge tucked herself back into bed. Sparing her an appreciative glance, Amy pulled out a new pair of jean and slipped them on. They were a little long, and a little loose, but otherwise seemed to fit well enough. Just as the last pair had. Slipping a long sleeved green t-shirt over her head, she sighed. A hand put the key chain in her pocket and she went to leave the room when Rouge's voice stopped her.

"Amy?"

_Goddamn, why do people keep interrupting my exits?_ Amy thought, but kept the irritation out of her voice when she addressed the half sleep girl. "Yeah?"

"John was looking for you last night."

"Oh." Amy blinked, a little stunned, but remained silent as she left the room, and ultimately the mansion.

Completely unaware of Pyro's hurt gaze following her.

_**-/-/-**_

Logan watched as Wade paced the kitchen. His colouring was better. The placid skin tone replaced with a faint hint of olive, and he could see the beginnings of short hair growing out of his scalp. "What's got ya all tight, Wilson?"

"Amy's gone."

"So? She said she was leavin'." The man said unsympathetically.

"She didn't even tell me where she's going," He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Somewhere with _Victor_."

Wade spat the name out with a venom Wolverine wasn't expecting, and a dull throb started up in the back of his mind. "Victor?" he repeated.

"The big cat himself." Wade huffed. "Fuck. What if she doesn't come back? What if he _eats_ her?"

"Well, if he eats her she's probably not coming back," Logan commented, smirking at his angry features. "Not so much fun on the other side, eh?"

_**-/-/-**_

John blended in flawlessly with the crowd at Grand Central Station. It was one of the benefits of being a relatively young man, with no physical mutation to speak of. It was why he was such a asset to the Brotherhood. A shudder ran down his spine as he thought about it. He wasn't naïve to its failing numbers. At the rate the members were disappearing, it'd be finished within the week.

And it scared him. He had no home to speak of. No family to go to. Especially after what went down with Amy the previous night. His brown eyes followed her through the crowd, but he didn't make a move to approach her as she neared the locker area. It had been foolish to think that they'd just accept him into their lives on a whim. Her tiny form stood in front of one of the lockers, and she pulled something from the pocket of her dark pants.

She raised her hand and a fine trail of flames sputtered up to the ceiling, promptly setting off the fire alarm. The mass of people began to panic, shoving and rushing towards the exits as the sprinklers turned on. Amy pressed herself tightly against the lockers, and went ignored as she pressed the bag between her and the cool metal surface. With a quick pop the locker opened revealing over ten thousand dollars in cash. She shoved it in the duffel bag feverishly and it was soon empty as she struggled to get the second one.

John one the other had, was now sitting outside the train station, watching as more and more people continued to flood out of its doors. He watched for any sign of Amy, but she was no where in sight. Sighing, he plopped down on the curb to wait for her to appear. As time ticked by, he realized it was nearing eleven am. With a sigh he stood, his dark eyes looking for one last glimpse of his mother that didn't come. _She's probably on the train by now_, he thought dismally. Not that he blamed her. John wouldn't stick around where he was unwanted either. Sticking his hand in his pocket, he pulled out a few crumpled bills. His stomach growled and he pursed his lips, noting the only restaurant on the block was a small diner across the street.

_**-/-/-**_

Xavier made a rare appearance in the kitchen when he found out Wade was being coaxed into the Brotherhood by Magneto. "Erik."

"Charles." The other elderly man smiled, "how nice to see you."

"What's the mornings topic of discussion?" He asked pleasantly enough, as he wheeled around the island that stood in the middle of the room.

"We were just discussing mister Wilson's future prospects now that he's, well, free, I suppose is a rather vague term. Fitting though, don't you think?"

Wade didn't say anything, nor did he look up from the sword he was sharpening as Charles went on. "Yes, I believe I had a similar conversation with Miss Allerdyce this morning about young John."

Magneto's eyes suddenly hardened. "Did you now?"

"Yes. Seeing as he only has one or two classes left to finish, I see no reason for him to not return to the mansion to complete them."

"Really? You think he would _want_ to return here? After all the Brotherhood has done for him?"

Wade piped in at this moment, "Made him a homeless terrorist? Yeah, I can see how he would want to come back." He held the blade up to the light and tutted, "not that he ever will, just that I can see how it would be appealing."

"What makes you so skeptical?" Xavier inquired, eying the man's weapon with acute fixation. The way one might watch a wounded animal.

"Well, there's the fact that, a- he seems to hate just about everyone here, and b- no one out of high school wants to go back. It's like, pushing a baby back in the womb. It's just a generally unpleasant experience for everyone involved."

The older men shared a disgusted look at his metaphor, but neither addressed it directly. "Well," Erik started, "I'm sure he will make the conclusion that's best for him in the long run."

_**-/-/-**_

Mystique's fingers brushed over the bandage on his forehead. While Leon was never the most…conventional man(especially his dressing habits), he was never one of the weak ones. Having no healing ability to speak of, his peaceful features surprised her. A smile pulled at her lips. She'd heard the stories circulating the campus. That none other then the infamous Victor 'Sabertooth' Creed had done this to him. A slim blue finger ran over his remaining horn, and she watched him shiver. "Stubborn fool," she murmured, dropping a kiss to his forehead before leaving the med bay.

_**-/-/-**_

Victor smiled. A predatory gesture that she had become familiar with over the years. It no longer scared her, but then not much did these days. "How ya doin' Arson?"

"I'm alright," Amy shrugged, sliding into the booth across from him. Setting the duffel bag on the table, she narrowed her eyes subtly at him. "Next time you want to send a message, leave my friends out of it."

"Will do," he answered snidely, pulling the bag into his lap. His brows rose, but he didn't seem unhappy with the results. "Heavier then I thought it'd be."

"It's my life savings, I wouldn't expect it to be light."

Creed eyed her skeptically, "just your life's savings?"

"And college fund," She admitted, "and pension. There should be more then the agreed price in there, Vic."

"I don't doubt that." He ran a claw over the table. "So?"

"SO?" she repeated, confusion etched in her sharp features. "So, what?"

"Aren't you gonna tell me all about your boys?"

"Boys?" Amy quirked a brow, "you mean Wade and John?"

"Those would be the-" His head tilted to the side and he sniffed the air.

She looked around the diner for what had could his sudden attention. "What?"

A sly smirk crossed his features. "Why don't you call your kid over here, Ars? I'd sure like to meet him."

John seemed unaware of the potential danger as he slid onto a stool. A waitress, maybe in her mid-forties, smiled at him. She eyed his damp clothes understandingly as she spoke, "got caught in Grand Central, did ya, dear?"

He sighed, but didn't come across as rude. "You could say that."

The woman patted his shoulder gently. "Just be glad no one was hurt. Now, what can I get you?"

The young man ordered his food to go, not wanting to stay in the prying eyes of the public much longer. Running a hand through his dark hair he sighed. The hand that landed on his shoulder caught him off guard, as did its owner. The man wasn't very tall, and he wasn't very welcoming as he smirked at him. His parted lips hinted at sharp, pointed teeth and his tone was boarder lining condescending.

"Long time no see, John."

"I don't know what're-"

"Oh, what?" Creed cut him off, sporting a wounded look that didn't match the amused glint in his eyes, "don't remember you're uncle Victor?"

"Guess not," John said dismissively, turning back on his stool, only to be pulled off it. "Hey!"

"Better watch that tone boy, you owe me in ways your little mind can't even begin to imagine." The man's hand tightened painfully on his shoulder as he nodded toward the table he had been sitting at. "Now, why don't you join me and yer ma for some lunch?"

"My-" Pyro's brown eyes flickered over to the table where Amy was watching the pair with a disapproving pout on her lips. "Oh."

"Come on." Yanking him off the stool, Victor ordered the waitress to bring the boy's food over to their table.

Pyro grunted as he was shoved violently into the booth next to his mother.

"You always did play too rough, Victor." Amy commented with disapproval as John rolled his shoulder discreetly. "You okay?"

"Fine." He snapped. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Victor Creed, Logan's brother." She said, narrowing her eyes softly at him. "What're you doing out of school?"

John scoffed, "I'm a grown man I can go where I want."

Creed let out a horse chuckle at that, appraising the boy. "Yeah, I bet."

"Victor." Amy said, a hint of a warning in her tone.

"What? Why you gotta be so damn serious all the time, Arson?" He smirked shaking his head condescendingly, "you'd think that idiot would've worn off on you by now? Unless," Creed's eyes shifted to a taunting glare that matched his tone. "You two ain't together no more."

She shrugged, seemingly unbothered by his harsh accusations. "We're not."

"Aw. And I was really rooting for you two."

John's jaw set. The man's tone was disrespectful, and though he may not have been the _best_ son recently, Pyro was still her son. Whether he liked it or not. His light flicked open and he shut it quickly. A rhythm starting up that hinted at his discomfort. "So. You're Logan's brother, huh?"

"Sure am." Victor smirked at the younger male, "you're with Magneto, aren't you?"

"Sure am." He spat back sarcastically, earning a weak smile from the woman on his left.

The feral's demeanor turned sour as he leaned across the table, "you wanna kept that tongue boy, you'll learn to hold it."

"Yes, sir."

Amy put a hand on his arm. A light head shake. "Not now."

Creed smirked, "listen to your mother, John. Aside from her shitty taste in men she's got a good head on her shoulders."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm."

The woman's brows rose slightly at the backhanded compliment but she didn't mention it. "So, you headin' back to Canada anytime soon?"

"Don't know," his eyes followed a waitress as she set a plate of food in front of him. "Hadn't really thought about it."

"Hm."

"You goin' back to Kansas?"

John snuck a peek at her as her small shoulders rose and fell in an aloof manner. "Thinking about it."

"Call your folks yet?"

"No."

Victor let out a noise of disapproval that made her roll her eyes. "thought you were close?"

"Were being the key word there, mister Creed." She quipped, taking a sip of her water. "Why the interest?"

"Just makin' conversation." He dropped his napkin on to his plate, suddenly not hungry as he noticed the glares he was receiving from the diners patrons. "You need a ride?"

She shook her head and he stood, throwing the duffel bag over his shoulder. Victor smirked at her, giving her son a pat on the shoulder her left, but not before uttering a final word of advice. "Take care'a yer mother, kid."

"Yeah." John watched him go with tight lipped anger. Once he was out of sight he shifted away from Amy, "why the hell did you put up with that crap?"

She shrugged, tracing her finger over the rim of her glass. "That's just the way he is, kid. Nothing I can do about it."

"Uh, you could tell him to shove it, or light his ass on fire."

A demure smile lit up her sharp features as she shook her head. "No point in getting angry about it, John. Most things aren't always what they appear to be."

"What the hell does that mean?" he asked, shaking his head with annoyance, "you're like a god damn fortune cookie, you know that?"

"Sorry." He sighed and leaned back against the seat of the booth. "So," Pyro flicked his lighter open, "you going back to the mansion?"

A nod.

"Oh."

"Disappointed?"

John shrugged, "not really."

There was an awkward silence. But only for a moment. "John?"

"Mhm?"

"I'm sorry."

He looked up at her, shocked by her apology. "What?"

"I didn't want your life to turn out like this."

"Like what?" His voice held a note of bitterness to it, "what's wrong with it?"

"You're a very angry young man." Amy told him. "I just wanted you to be happy."

"If you wanted me to be happy why didn't you stick me with these famed parents of yours?"

"Because that's the first place Styker would have looked."

Pyro's face remained hard. "Why'd you give me to Mystique is you're so against the Brotherhood?"

"I'm not against the Brotherhood." She said, "I'm just not for them. Besides, Mystique is an exception to the rule."

"Why?" he asked. His hostility had melted away to curiosity as some of his questions were finally getting answered.

"Well, for starters, she was friends with Leon."

John tilted his head slightly, "so?"

"So usually people in cahoots with Apollo are trustworthy." She took another sip of her water, "Even if they are known terrorists." Drumming her fingers on the side of the glass, she asked, "why'd you leave Xavier's?"

"Why did you?" He quipped, not really expecting an answer.

She sighed, "I think he saw me as a failure." Amy continued as the boy's brows rose, "I mean, he tried for years to get my mutation to stabilize and couldn't. Not that I made it -easy on him, I just wasn't ready to co-operate. So I left."

"How old were you?" John looked at her with pleading eyes. Something she didn't really understand.

"About sixteen. Maybe a little younger."

"And you joined the army?"

"Well, no, I went to Vegas and stayed with Leon before I did that."

"You and Leon seem awfully close." He accused.

She smiled and shook her head, "no. Not like that."

"Huh." Pyro clicked the lighter shut. "What about with Wraith? The two of you seemed pretty cozy."

Amy shrugged. "He's a nice guy. I'll miss him, but still no."

"Am I named after him?"

She scoffed, "no."

"Then what's with the saint in my name?" He asked. Something that had been bothering him since he was about seven and realized it was uncommon.

"Saint John is the patron saint of burn victims." She told him.

"What!" he chuckled, "that's it? No long fancy story?"

"Nope." Amy's heart leapt at the sight of his smile, and she was instantly reminded of Wade. "We should be getting back."

His grin fell a little, but he nodded. "You're right."

_**-/-/-**_

When they entered the mansion, the first thing they heard was ranting.

"I can't believe she just left like that! I bet a tornado came along and swept her little ass all the way back to Kansas that Dorothy Gale _mother fucker_!"

"Wade?"

"What?" He snapped, but calmed at the sight of her. The man cleared his throat. "Oh. You're back. Good."

"You need to stop making Wizard of Oz jokes." Amy told him shaking her head, "you're better then that."

"I am not! They are perfectly within my level of wit!"

She smiled at him as he beamed at her, it sobered slightly when he noticed John watching with weary eyes. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Um…don't do drugs, John."

The younger man stared at him. "Uh... I won't."

"Good." Wade nodded. "Fatherly wisdom of the day dispensed." He dropped a hand on John's shoulder. "Good boy."

"He's not a dog, Wilson."

"He'll be a dog if his father tell him to be one!"

Shoving his hand off his shoulder, Pyro rolled his eyes and walked away from them. When he was out of sight, Wade dropped a kiss on Amy's cheek.

She blushed softly, quirking a brow at him. "What-"

"Thanks for coming back." He replied, smiling softly at her.

**A/N**: these chapters are just getting longer and longer, even though there's only one or two (not counting the epilogue to go). Tell me what you think


	22. Goodnights and Goodbyes

Wade watched with curiosity as Amy spun the phone's cord between her fingers. She was too far away for him to hear the actual conversation, but he knew who she was calling.

Her parents. Julia and Clark Allerdyce. Nice people, according to the woman herself. And though he had never met them personally, he believed it. They were quite tolerant of their daughter's mutation. Accepting even. They had called the Island for weeks after her disappearance. It had been Wade's duty to tell them she had gone.

"What'cha lookin' at?"

He glanced down at the young man, "she's calling your grandparents."

"Oh?" Pyro asked, "Why?"

"I think she's heading back to Kansas in the next couple days. Probably needs a place to stay or something…" Wade shrugged, "so, where'd the two of you disappear to yesterday?"

"She introduced me to Logan's brother."

Deadpool stiffened, "Is that right?"

"Yeah, the guy's kind of a prick, ain't he?"

"Yes. Yes he is," he agreed. His brown eyes swept over to the woman on the phone, "she might not come back you know."

"I know." John's eyes dropped slightly. He straightened his stance and squared his shoulders. "I was fine before you two came along, and I'll be fine after, Wilson."

"You don't have to choose."

"Yeah," The young man rubbed the back of his neck, trailing his eyes from Amy to the door. "I know."

"Hm." Wade dropped his hand to the holster of his sword. "It'll break her heart to see you go again."

John shook his head, chuckling bitterly. "She'll be fine."

"The Brotherhood can't give you a home anymore, John."

"Stop calling me that."

"Fine, the Brotherhood can't give you a home anymore, you ungrateful little fuck."

The boy let out a snort, "_Nice_."

"Hey, I'm _trying_ to be nice here, okay? Let me finish." Wade said, trying to use an authoritative tone and coming off simply annoyed, and a little childish, "anyway, as I was saying, since you're pretty much homeless, I was wondering if you wanted to come stay with me." Raising his brows, Pyro asked if he was serious. "Yeah, I mean, I inherited my folks house up in Maine. It's probably still there." He shrugged off handedly, "I was gonna ask Amy to come to."

Not saying anything, John weighed his options. It was true, Magneto had told him the previous night to Brotherhood was no more, and he wasn't ready to crawl back to the Professor just yet. But that didn't mean he was about to take charity from anybody. "I'll think about it."

"Alright," Wade said, "But I'm leaving in the morning, ungrateful little fuck, so you should make your mind up soon."

_**-/-/-**_

Leon winced at he leaned over to grab his suitcase off the floor.

"Here," A distinct voice offered, "let me get that." Her scaled blue hand set it on the bed with ease, and Mystique appraised his injuries with a quick, unfeeling glance. "You look better then you did, yesterday."

"I _feel_ better then I did yesterday." He smiled, "Well, aside from the bitchin' headache and throbbing pain in my ribs, of course."

She smiled sympathetically. "So, you're hornless now?"

"Eh, it'll grow back. Always does," Leon told her, dropping a folded yellow shirt into the case. He did this repeatedly, until the drawer was empty and his suitcase full. Her glowing eyes followed his precise movements with worry, but didn't verbalize it. "So, Misty, what brings you to the men's quarters this evening?"

"I heard you were heading out."

"That I am."

She hesitated a moment, before pulling herself together. "I'd like to come."

He raised his light brows. "Really?" Of course, he'd known that the minute she'd entered the room, but he never suspected she'd actually commit to it. "Why?"

Mystique's eyes narrowed at him. "You know why."

"Do I?" He smirked.

She smiled faintly at him and cupped his cheek in a similar fashion that he so often had done to her in the past. "You do."

"Fine." Leon said, "You can come." He dropped a kiss to her lips before nodding to his bag. "Go pack up, Raven."

_**-/-/-**_

"Hello?"

Amy froze at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

In a moment of panic, the woman slammed the receiver into the cradle. She swore quietly at her cowardice, ignoring the curious look she was receiving from a quiet young man who had taken to following her around the mansion as of late. "What?"

"So, you're like, forty?"

"Excuse me?" She snapped, "you're like what, nine?"

"I'm eleven!" the boy quipped, glaring at her. "You don't look forty, and you don't look old enough to be Pyro's mom either."

"Well, I am."

His dark green eyes rolled, "well, that's all I was asking."

"Shouldn't you be in class or something?"

"Shouldn't you be in prison?"

In a quick motion she jerked him down by the collar. She briefly entertained the idea of having to pull an eleven year old boy _down_ to her eye level, but shoved it from her mind quickly. "You listen here you little bastard, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but so help me god if you don't stop interrupting my phone call I'm going to take you outside and giving you the whipping of you're life. You hear me, boy?"

He nodded, but didn't seem the least bit threatened by her. "Fine, whatever."

Amy watched him go with a rage she had never felt –at least never felt directed at child- rising in her. With an angry finger she jabbed her parents' phone number into the receiver. She felt the familiar anxiety bubble in her heart as it began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Uh-" Amy cleared her throat. "Hi."

"Um, hello. May I ask whose calling?" Her mother's voice was confused, but not rude.

"This is Amy. Um, Amelia, I guess. How are you?"

There was a hitch on the other line and it went dead. Her heart sinking in her chest, the woman hung up the phone. Rubbing her tired eyes, she jumped startled when the phone in front of her rang loudly. After a moment's hesitation she answered it. "Hello?"

"This is Clark Allerdyce, who is this?" her father's voice was stoic, unfeeling.

"It's Amy."

"Bullshit. Our daughter's been dead for years." He spat, "what kind of sick, perverted-"

"Ask me anything." She challenged.

"What made her leave Kansas? The first time?"

Amy froze, but only a second. "I burned down my school- well, technically I burned down the home economics room, but everyone said it was the school, even though it wasn't."

"Hm." Clark hummed. "Who's your god-father?"

"My uncle, Scott Winters, Julia's brother."

"If this is really Amy, where've you been for the past twenty years?"

"Pennsylvania, and Vegas, mostly. Right now I'm at Xavier's in New York," This wasn't the impassioned come home speech she had been expecting, and was secretly grateful for it. She didn't really feel like crying in the hall way. "You can call him if you don't believe me."

"I will, trust me." He answered, sighing. "How-how am I just supposed to-"

"You don't have to." Amy told him. "I was just thinking about coming home."

"Back here?"

"Yeah."

There was a thoughtful silence. "I- I think that would be okay. But I'd need some clarification first."

"Okay." She murmured. Biting her lip, she asked, "Is mom okay?"

"Just a little shook up, I think."

"Oh, good."

"Yeah. Well. When were you thinking of coming down?"

Amy shrugged, even though she knew he couldn't see it. "I'm leaving tomorrow, but I'm not sure where I'm going yet."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, this place is kind of…it's just too familiar, I guess."

Clark spoke with a quiet authority she'd always respected. "You should come. Tomorrow. Even if you're not who you say you are, you obviously knew Amy very well."

"Okay."

"Okay. Good bye."

"Bye." Hanging up, she let out a groan rolling her head back on her shoulders.

"So," Wade sauntered up behind her, "you're going home, then?"

"Looks like it."

"You gonna tell them about what happened? About me? John?" He asked, watching her face grow tired and weary. "No one would blame you if you didn't."

"Of course I'm going to, Wade, I just don't know how yet. That's all." She smiled weakly at him. Turning she rested her face on his chest, looping an arm around his waist. "What about you? Where you heading?"

"Maine."

"Folks place?"

"Yep." He ran his fingers through her black hair, tugging softly at the short strands. "How long are you going to stay there?"

"As long as they'll let me."

Wade pulled her a little closer to him, glad most of the students were out of sight, and the ones that were watching were at least doing it discreetly. "Why?"

"I'm broke, babe."

"What about your pension?"

"Gone."

"Gone where?" He pried.

"Owed Victor."

"Why?"

She looked up at him with unforgiving eyes that clearly called him an idiot. "What'd you think has kept John out of prison all these years? I mean, he is a known terrorist."

"A _pardoned_ known terrorist, at least according to Xavier." He told her. "Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to come up to Maine with me. John might come too, but he's still thinking it over."

"Scared to be all by your lonesome, Wilson?" She teased.

"Yes," He answered honestly. "I don't want to be alone anymore, Ames, I don't think I can handle it."

Amy nodded in agreement; she put her head back on his chest. "Me neither."

_**-/-/-**_

Flash pursed her lips at him. "Are you serious?"

"Certainly." The Professor told her, "Erik has mentioned on several occasions that you were a more then adequate teacher, and with Logan returning to Canada, we could use the extra hands, Hannah."

"Hm."

"Did I mention the free food and board?"

"Add a salary to that and you got yourself a deal, Wheels."

Xavier smiled and the two shook hands.

_**-/-/-**_

"So," Bobby poked his head into John's room. He had his hands deep in his pockets and seemed slightly restless standing in the door way. "I heard your dad's heading out."

"Did you?" Pyro didn't tear his eyes from his ceiling, nor did he get up from his bed. Flicking his light open with a dull, fluid motion, he let the flame tickle his finger tips as the young man went on.

"Yeah, so I was just wondering what you were going to do. I mean, you're not staying here are you?"

"Is that an invitation?"

"Do you want it to be?"

He snickered, "god, how desperate for companionship are you, Iceprick?"

The teenager's blue eyes narrowed. "I was just trying to-"

"Be nice? Yeah, I get it, Prince Bobby extending a welcoming hand to the little people."

"You know, not everyone is out to get you, _John_, you're going to have to realize that eventually."

Pyro didn't bother looking up as Iceman left the room, the slamming door a cold reminder of just how alone he really was. Rolling on to his side, he stared at his clock.

Almost ten thirty.

_**-/-/-**_

Rouge's eyes widened at the man in the door way. "Um, can I help you?"

"Is Amy here?" Wade asked, eying the small lump on the mattress with suspicion.

"She's asleep."

"Oh."

"Do you want me to wake her?" She asked, trying to avoid dropping her gaze to his toned stomach.

He shook his head, "nah, I'll catch her in the morning. Night, kid."

"Goodnight."

_**-/**_Two Hours Later_**/-**_

A disgruntled Wade opened his eyes to the sound of knocking. It was low, and almost inaudible, but it was there. After deciding it wasn't a hallucination brought on by detox, he opened the door.

Amy was in a dark blue wife beater and grey sweat pants. Her brown eyes were tired, but aware as she gazed up at him. They went to one of the tattoos that littered his body; this one imprinted permanently on his neck, and brushed a careful finger against it. His own went to her shirt; the straps clung awkwardly to her sickly form, but the skin underneath it was warm to the touch. Inhumanly warm. Wade let the palm of his hand brush over her collar bone before thumbing her throat gently.

"You wanna come in?"

She smiled at him, a weak but sturdy one, "yeah, I do."

His hand looped around to the back of her neck and pulled into his pale chest, dropping a kiss onto her forehead as he did so. They entered the secluded room without a word, her heated skin pressed up against his cool flesh.

_**-/-/-**_

The next morning the school was abuzz. Its students were peering out the window, watching as the X-Men bid the new comers good bye.

\-/

Logan stared up at Wilson, unsympathetically. Wade looked back down at him with similar disinterest, but still felt the need to speak, god help him. "So. This is good bye then."

"Yep."

"Well," Wade ruffled his hair roughly."Your hair cut really does make you look gay." Earning a glare and shove from the shorter man. "Ouch! Hey man, not so rough!"

/-\

"So," Amy shifted awkwardly, smiling tightly at Rouge. "I guess this is goodbye."

"I guess so."

"If you're ever in Kansas, drop me a line, 'kay, girlie?" She gave her a light shove, careful to avoid any uncovered skin. "Can I give you a word of advice?"

Rouge seemed a little weary, but nodded, "okay."

"Give Bobby a hand job. He seems kind'a…tightly wound."

Without another word, Amelia moved over to where Mystique and Leon were waiting for their cab. A row of them had lined up, ready to take various mutants to various bus stops, train stations, and air ports. The woman waved her over with a blue hand.

"So," she eyed the petite woman's bare hands, "headin' back to Kansas City, are you?"

"For now."

"Oh?"

Amy shrugged, "I just think I owe them an explanation you know. Face to face. After that…" Her dark brown eyes drifted over to Wade, who now had John standing next to him, suitcase in hand. "Who knows?"

Mystique smirked, "I think I do."

"Well, of course you do, Misty. Any more intuitive and you be clairvoyant." Her friend tossed her a wink and she went on, "you really gonna play house with Leon in Vegas?"

"What can I say? He gets it. Besides, nothing's set in stone. And with the Brotherhood gone, I figure why not take a shot at the whole happy housewife deal."

The shorter woman stared at her in disbelief. The straight face only lasted a moment before Mystique grinned, snickering at her. "I'm kidding, lighten up."

"Ha ha. Funny." Amy cleared her throat. "And horrifying."

"Yeah, well, he's nice and I'm not, so who knows how long this'll last."

Amy smirked, "I think _I _do." She echoed.

"Oh, shut up." Glowing yellow eyes rolled, but a smile played on Mystique's lips. "He wants me to call Kurt."

"Maybe you should."

"Hm."

"I mean, the worst that could happen is he ignores you right? And maybe yells at you. Just do it over the phone."

"You know, you were a lot smarter before you started hanging out with Wilson."

Amy sighed, "I know."

They shook hands as Leon came over. "Headin' out to Maine, are ya?"

"Kansas."

"Same difference." The pair hugged, Amy was careful to mind his sore arm as his(and mystique's) cab pulled up. "Be safe."

"You too." She waved them off idly before moving over to the Professor.

\-/

"So," Wade asked, "come to a decision yet, ungrateful little fuck?"

"Yeah, for starters you can go back to calling me John."

"Got'cha, so, come to a decision yet, John?" He went on before his son could start, "you know, it doesn't quite have the same ring to it, but I suppose I'll adjust."

"You should." He quipped, "Because I'm coming with you."

"Cool, but there are rules, my son, many, many, rules, like, you're getting a haircut, and no girls on weekdays, and you have to admit that Styx was just a fad…oh," He cleared his throat, "and you have to get those three credits you need to graduate."

"What?"

"Hey, it's a packaged deal my son-"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Obey me!"

/-\

Xavier smiled slightly at the sight of the woman in front of him. "Amelia."

"Charles." She replied. Biting her lip, she sighed quietly. "Thank you. For letting us stay here."

"I should've let you stay here a long time ago."

"I agree."

"Perhaps this whole mess could've been avoided if I had."

"Again, I agree."

He shook his head, "you have to understand-"

"I do. You thought John's mutation would manifest as violently as mine did. Perfectly natural." She shrugged, "but it's hard not to hate somebody for passing judgment on your kid for your mistakes."

The Professor seemed mildly impressed by her insight. "Is that so?"

"I guess. Not that he's really my kid."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, let's face it," Amy smiled sadly at him, "Magneto's raised him more then I have."

"You love him, that's what he needs, Amy. Parents, you and Wade-"

"_-Say it! Say Styx was just a fad_!"

"…you'll be a fine parent, Amy." He finished, shooting the arguing men a concerned glance. "Wade may well be too, so long as you keep him out of reach of sharp objects."

"But he loves sharp objects."

"Hm."

She shook his hand. "But I'll do my best."

"That's all I ever expected of you."

Amy turned her back on him, letting out a quiet, _"I doubt that_," before walking over to Wade and John.

"Styx was just a fad," She assured the older man, giving him a peck on his cheek as he wrapped his arm around her waist, "leave the kid alone."

"Tell him he has to get a hair cut."

She quirked a brow, glancing at John. "Why does he want you to get a hair cut?"

"Because he's an asshole."

"Hey! I helped spawn you, damn it, and if I say get a hair cut-"

"You don't need a hair cut."

"Amy!" Wade shrieked, "don't undermine my authority!"

"What authority?" She asked, "He's eighteen and quite frankly, he's more then accomplished to make his own fashion choices."

"Thank you." Pyro nodded. His brown eyes, which were very similar to her own, glanced around at the cabs. "So, are you heading to Maine with us, or what?"

"Not today." Amy told him, feeling a pinch in her heart as a glimmer of hurt rose on his features before being white washed behind a mask of nonchalance.

"Where ya headin' then?" He asked, watching as Wade's arm tightened subtly around her waist. It made him a tad uncomfortable, but not terribly.

"Kansas City -do _not_ make a tornado joke," she shot the taller man a look(who had just opened his mouth to make one), and then went on, "my parents are meeting me at the train station in a few hours."

A brow rose doubtful on John's face, "a few?"

"Okay, maybe several." A flick of the wrist showed she really didn't care how off she was. "I'm only staying a week or so…" She squared her shoulders, "they'll want to meet you…if I tell them."

He tilted his head. "If?"

Wade leaned over, "this is where you tell her its okay to tell them you exist."

"Oh. Yeah, its fine I guess."

"Its fine you guess she can tell them or its fine you guess you can't wait to meet them and are super excited because you know there'll be a shit load of birthday, Christmas and Easter presents you missed stockpiled in the living room on your very first visit?"

They stared at him.

"The first one." John answered, "I don't know if I'll meet them yet. It's kind of…"

"Soon?" Amy offered.

"Yeah."

"It's never too soon for Christmas." Wade replied, completely serious.

A horn honked and a pissed off looking cabbie stuck his head out the window. "_Which one of you broads is Amy All-dice?_"

"I should go." Amy sighed, raising a meek hand to appease the taxi driver. "I'll be right there!"

"_You bett'a be!"_

"Prick." The three of them chorused. There was a moment of silence before the woman detangled herself from the mercenary.

"I guess I'll see you guys later." She said, bowing her head slightly as Wade kissed her forehead, then her lips. It only lasted a second (as neither were a fan of public displays of affection, not to mention there son was less then a foot away), but it was enough to cause some discomfort among those standing around them.

Blushing faintly, she pulled away. "Behave." She told him warningly, "and don't do anything to traumatize the poor kid."

"Meh."

John cleared his throat and backed away slightly when she approached him. "He says I have to go back to school."

"You don't have to do anything. But you should." She put a hand on his shoulder. "You seem like a smart kid, John. Too smart to waste your time being angry."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Compliment." She assured him. Her hand fell from his shoulder, but she didn't make any move to embrace him. "Take care of yourself, okay, kid?"

"Okay."

"And don't let your father stick his hand in the garbage disposal."

"Hey!"

"I won't." John smirked faintly as the woman left. The cabbie rolled his eyes and got into the car as she sat down in the back seat. She smiled demurely at the pair and lifted her hand in a weak wave as the taxi pulled away.

"Well. There she goes."

"Yep."

Wade sighed. "The woman responsible for all this."

"Yep."

"Your mom."

"Yep." The younger man nodded, watching the cab disappear from sight.

"My…lady friend."

"Uh-huh."

"Hey John?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's go home."

Wade shoved his shoulder playfully and the pair grinned at each other before getting into a cab.

"Wade?"

"Yeah?"

"Styx sucks."

"_I knew it!"_

"**Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them**." -**Oscar Wilde**

a/n: okay, end of the road folks. All that's left is the epilouge, tell me what you thought of this 'finale' in the mean time. Oh, and if you're not going to read the epilouge, Pyro's OC story will be up in a day or two. It's call A Small Crime, and it will center around the reprcussions of falling in love with a human. It should be under fifteen chapters.


	23. Epilogue

**-(October, 2006)-**

**/-Kansas-/**

Amy stared awkwardly at the Allerdyce home. The home she grew up in.

Her father shot her a look over the car's hood. "Everything okay?"

"Fine." She murmured, eying it. "We should go in. I have a lot to tell you."

"Like why you look the exact same as the last time we saw you?" he asked.

"Yeah." Her eyes flickered over to Clark's age worn features. He had to be in his late sixties now, "that and other stuff."

_**-/-/-**_

Julia stared at her daughter. A devout Christian all her life, her long fingers instinctively went to her the silver cross that hung around her neck as Amelia shuffled uncomfortably in the door way. "If this is a trick, it's an awfully cruel one, young lady."

"It's not a trick." She promised. "I know it's weird, but it's not a trick."

"Well," Julia sighed, "come into the kitchen then."

The younger woman trailed after her, as her father headed up the stairs. He was convinced. He knew it was her the moment he seen her standing the middle of the train station looking like a lost little girl. Julia would need more convincing, her heart having been hardened after their only child's disappearance.

"So," Julia set a cup of tea in front of her, observing her actions carefully. Amy thanked her quietly, letting her go on. "How are you?"

"Better then I've been in a while," she began putting sugar in her beverage, not noticing her mother counting every one. A small spark of hope rose in the old woman's chest as she realized it was the right amount, but she forced it down quickly.

"You look the same."

"Well, my healing factor changed."

Julia tilted her head, interest peaked. She'd always found her daughter's abilities fascinating. "Oh? Why?"

"Because I um, well, they think it's because I had a um, baby." Amy told her, stumbling over her words in an effort to soften the blow.

Brown eyes widened slightly across the table. "A baby?"

"Yes. A boy. St. John." She fiddled with the hem of the table cloth, something that hadn't changed since her childhood. Both the habit and the cloth, respectively. "He's not really a baby anymore though. An adult really."

A pang of pain went through her chest at her mother's stricken expression, and she quickly dropped her gaze back to the table. "If it makes you feel any better I missed most of his life too, so I wasn't keeping him from you I promise."

"Do-do you have pictures?" Julia asked, tears achingly pulling at her throat but she stifled them quickly. "Saint John, you said his name was?"

"Yeah. Or just John." She shook her head, "I don't have any recent pictures, but Leon is sending some baby photos in the mail."

"Leon? The green fellow from Xavier's?"

"That would be the one, yes."

Julia stirred her tea. "And his father?"

"Wade Wilson. We were…in the army together. John's staying with him now."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Is he staying with him?" Her mother asked, tilting her head again. "I mean, you seem very…passive about this."

Amy shrugged. "I've gotten used to being out of his life for so long. It's weird to see how he's changed, how he's become without my influence." Her fingers went back to twisting the table cloth. "It's like it didn't even matter if I was there or not. He grew up and maybe it's better that I was gone."

"Am-" Julia cleared her throat, "you don't know that."

"Come on, mom, let's face I wasn't very stable in those days." She sighed, slumping back in her chair. "I'm not saying I regret it, I mean, who knows maybe I can have a relationship with him now. And me and Wade are on much better terms then we've ever been."

"Is Wade the one who raised him?"

"No. I don't really know who raised him."

"You put him up for adoption?"

There was a tone that suggested disappointment in the elderly lady's voice. Amy was quick to rectify it. "It's more complicated then that. Otherwise it would've been you and dad. Honest."

"Oh."

"It was just too dangerous."

"We would've taken the risk, Lia."

Amy's face flushed slightly at the pet name, but a smile pulled at the corner of her lips regardless. "I know."

_**-/Maine/-**_

"What'cha doin'?"

John glanced up at Wade, who was hovering over him with interested eyes. "I'm checking out a few of the adult education centers. No way in hell I'm going back to high school."

"Good idea. Maybe I should take a few classes."

His son stared at him.

"Not at whatever school you're going to."

"Oh, well, then yeah, couldn't hurt." Pyro smirked. "Aren't you going to get a job or something?"

Wade shrugged, "I don't know where to look. I mean, the only thing I've ever been good at his killing people, and I don't have the right contacts for that yet."

"Yet?"

"Of course, you think I'm gonna sit behind a desk all day? Fuck no, Johnny, I'm getting back on the horse."

John's eyes widened, "did you just call me Johnny?"

"What? It was a heat of the moment thing, it won't happen again."

"Better not." The teen mumbled, going back to his phone book.

(November, 2006)

Amy cleared her throat as the car pulled up. Her week long stay having turned into a month rather quickly, she grinned as John and Wade stepped out of the cab. Grinning at them, she waved enthusiastically.

"Someone's excited." John said, smirking as she approached them.

"Be nice," Wade chided, "she missed us." Her arms slipped quickly around his lean waist and she inspected him carefully. "You look great."

This was true, his hair had grown out considerably, and his olive skin tone had come back to give him a golden glow. "Thanks, you too."

She blushed subtly, having noted the weight gain herself. Thankfully it was enough to finally fit into her old clothes without looking like some kind of food deprived stick figure, her mother had made damn sure of that. "Thanks."

Her eyes flickered over to John, who raised a hand. "hey, what's up?"

"Not much. They're excited about meeting you. Really, really excited, so expect at least one hug, maybe two." Amy warned, smiling at him. Before he had time to register it, she had let go of Wade and was now embracing him, tightly but it only lasted a second before she pulled away. "So." She cleared her throat, "we should go in now."

"Hm."

The trio made their way into the house where Clark and Julia stood waiting.

"Hi." Wade raised his hand, much in a similar way John had. The boy shot him accusing glare. "I panicked."

"You must be Wade." Clark said, putting his hand out. "I'm Clark."

"Yes, Wade Wilson, so sorry for knocking up your daughter, sir."

Amy rubbed her eyes and let out a quiet sigh of shame. Thankfully her father laughed it.

"It's okay." His eyes went to the young man's, "that must make you Saint John."

"Your name is Saint John?" Wade gasped, ignoring the flush that rose on his son's cheeks, "I thought she was being ironic!" A harsh smack to the back of his head from Amy shut him up quickly. "It's a nice name."

"Uh, yeah, that's me." He nodded, shaking the man's hand. "You're Clark, right?"

"That's right. This is my wife, Julia, be careful she-"

"Oh, look at you!" The petite woman was quick to fold the young man up in a hug that bordered on strangling and he shot his mother a pleading look. He got a blank one in return. She pulled back quickly, fast enough to give him whiplash, and looked at him from arms length. "So handsome. Come on, you can help me in the kitchen."

"Guess you're not the favorite anymore, Ames," Wade teased quietly, pinching her side playfully.

"So…" Clark stared after the boy and his wife, only slightly concerned for the child's sanity, "how about a tour?"

"Awesome! Got any baby pictures?"

"Wade!"

"Of course."

"Dad!"

-(January, 2007)-

"Are you gonna let me keep it this time?"

"I don't know, Wade, this is an awful big responsibility."

"Please! I'll hug it and feed it and walk it every day!"

"Wade…"

"Come on! Please! I'll be good."

Sighing she relented, "fine."

"Does…does this mean we're gonna…you know? Keep it?" He asked, grinning.

"I guess, after that heartfelt speech you made about walking it every day." She smiled as he swept her up.

"Aw, Ames, we're gonna have a baby-oh god, Ames we're gonna have a baby. I need to sit down."

"Take all the time you need there, Wonder Dad."

_**-/-/-**_

"Like, a real baby? Not just one Wade dreamed up?" John asked, perking a brow as his mother shrugged.

"Looks like."

He smirked "well, aren't you just glowing with maternal emotion."

"Hey, my last birthing experience ended up with a serial killer at the end of my bed threatening to more or less eat my baby, forgive my uneasiness."

"Victor was going to eat me?" John asked, leaning back in his chair, slightly horrified. The kitchen's windows hinted at a storm in the distance, but they thought nothing of it.

"Well, no, he was going to hand you over to Styker to be experimented on but same difference."

"Good point. So, do you want me out of here?"

"What?" She glanced up at him, "no of course not."

John smiled, but only slightly, "Oh. Good."

"You're the only one in the house with any common sense, John. We need all the help we can get."

"_Oh my god!"_

The pair glanced up at the ceiling, listening to Wade's rant.

_"We have to baby proof! And get a lock for this door! We can't have the baby crawling around a room full of weapons, Amy, god you're so irresponsible!"_

Amy turned back to look at John. "It's his room."

The boy snickered quietly and picked up his glass of orange juice. "So, what'cha gonna call it?"

"Dunno."

"St. Jane?" His eyes narrowed when hers perked, "don't call it St. Jane. Don't call it saint anything."

"But-"

"Promise me, Amy."

"Fine I promise."

_**-(June, 2007)-**_

_**/-Las Vegas/-**_

"So," The very pregnant Allerdyce seemed upset to be in the sweltering heat, but had shown up none the less. "Today's the day, huh?"

"Yep."

"Does he know why he's coming?"

Mystique shook her head, eying her friend's swollen stomach with interest. "No. You're not gonna pop on me, are you, sparky?"

"Hope not." Amy smiled, fanning herself with a limp hand. "It's so freaking hot. Why could you do this in like, March, Misty?"

The blue hued mutant shrugged. "I don't know. Now just seems like the right time, you know."

"Mhm." She stroked her stomach absent minded, "you drop him any kind of hint?"

"I told him it was urgent and had to do with his family."

The smaller woman pursed her lips, "you made it sound like a threat, didn't you?"

"Well-"

"Mystique! If he charges in here I'll-"

"Waddle over here and hit me?"

"I'll give birth on your bedding again, Mist. I swear to god." His dark brown eyes flickered around the empty suite. "Where's Leon?"

"What you think he's going to help you defile our sheets?"

"No."

"He's picking Kurt up from the private landing strip. I guess a few of the X-Geeks are coming in with him. For back up."

"That's what happens what you phrase it as a threat, dumb ass!"

"Don't call me a dumb ass, just because you're hormones are getting the better of you, Amelia." She stood gracefully, offering her hand to the smaller woman, "come on, we'll go turn down the thermostat. It'll be an adventure," she droned sarcastically.

Letting out a dry chuckle, Amy let Mystique pull her up just as the front door opened. "God damn it."

"Don't worry, I'll still turn it down." Nimble fingers plucked the remote up and pressed a button. The room cooled instantly.

Amy stared at her as the X-Men entered. "I hate you so much, Misty."

"Hm. I could turn it back up if you like."

"No- no that's okay." Amy was quick to assure her, snatching the remote from her hands and tossing it onto the couch.

"You haven't been torturing that poor woman with the thermostat again, have you?" Leon asked, smirking as he led the team in. "Amy. Radiant as ever of course."

He kissed her cheek dutifully, earning a grin from the woman. "Damn right."

"Where's Wilson?"

"He and John went to hit up the strip."

"He's knows John's only eighteen right?"

Amy shrugged. "I don't think that matters. They're going to a strip club."

"Oh my god, Allerdyce, are you pregnant again?" Scott cut in, staring at her in shock.

"Again?" She echoed with surprise.

Logan approached with caution. "Everything okay here?"

"Peachy." Mystique drawled, "now I've got a bunch of freaking do-gooders knowing my address. And a bloated midget who'se acting as my moral guidance."

Amy smacked her upside the head and went to sit back down. "Five foot two, Misty, five foot two."

Storm and Rouge shared a look. The young woman was the one who moved forward though. "So," She moved to sit down next to the fire bug, who quickly(well, as quickly as she could) made room. "How far along are you?"

"Seven months."

"Oh."

"Can we assume its Wilson's?" Cyclops asked.

Logan nodded, "Smells like him."

"Vell?" A new voice interrupted, "vut vus d'is information?"

A figure stepped out of the shadows that made Amy's heart stop. A squeak rose in her throat, but she silenced it (and the memories that rose having to do with a certain blue, heart tailed mutant as a toddler) when she got a look of disapproval from Mystique.

"Well," the woman cleared her throat. "You've gotten big."

"Amy!"

"What? He has!"

Wide yellow eyes shifted anxiously around the room. "Vut?"

Mystique glared at Amy, who put her hand on Rouge's shoulder, "how about I give you folks a tour?"

"Well-"

"Great! Come on, Storm, help Rouge help me up."

The two women pulled her to her feet with ease and as she past, Amy patted Kurt on the shoulder. "You're just as cute now as you were when you were four."

"Amelia!"

"What? He is!"

With a sigh, Mystique patted the seat next to her. "Leon? Mind giving the guys a separate tour?"

"Sure thing, darlin'." With the men out of the room, she was quick to get to the chase.

"Look, you wanna know about you're family? Fine. You come from a long line of bigots and haters and quite frankly you were better off without all the baggage any way okay?"

"Vu-" Kurt bit his tongue when she interrupted him.

Mystique snapped, not bothering for breathe, she began to rant her defense. "I was really doing you a favor by not bringing you around them because I knew it would just be too damn complicated for everybody, and it's not like I was ashamed of you or anything, I mean I obviously cared about you because those people I left you with were as nice as they come, right?"

"You are my muth'er." He said, quite calmly. Calmer then she expected.

"Yes."

"Hm. And vhy did you feel you could not share d'is information v'en ve first met?" he asked curiously, tail swishing behind him in a manner that set off his mood. Frantic.

"It wasn't the right time."

Kurt nodded, "I see."

"You knew this whole time, haven't you?"

Again, he nodded, "Ja."

"Why didn't you say anything?" She snapped, glaring at him, "what am I not good enough to be your mother because I'm not one of those X-Geeks?"

"vut? Vut does z'at have to do v'ith it?" He asked, "I didn't say anyt'ing because I thought you vere ashamed of me. Now I know you veren't."

"Well, good. Because I wasn't. It was hard. Giving you up." Mystique cracked her knuckles, "harder then I'd like to admit."

"D'is Leon is he-"

"He's not you're father. I mean, I wish he was, but he's not."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

There was a tense silence before he spoke again, "d'at voman, she knew me?"

"Who, Amy? Yeah, she used to watch you when I was out of town. You remember John?"

"Pyro?"

"Yes, I believe I have a few pictures of the two of you together as children."

He smiled, flashing sharp, white teeth. "I vould like to see d'em."

She grinned back, "Come with me."

_**-/-/-**_

Amelia stared at him. Logan stared back. "What?"

"You still haven't changed that damn hair cut."

"So, Amy," Storm interjected, quickly coming to shield the pregnant woman from the Wolverine standing next to her. "You said Wade and John are out together? Are they getting along?"

"Oh yeah, they get along fine for the most part. Wade's still pestering him to get a hair cut though."

"Huh?"

"Never mind." She brushed a black bang from her eye. "How's everything at the school?"

"Good."

There was a strained silence before the door opened yet again, "oh thank the lord," Amy muttered, grinning thankfully when Wade and John entered, counting money in their hands.

"Hey, Ames, guess what? John can count cards."

She quirked a brow, "you can?"

He shrugged, "I'm good at math."

Amy smiled softly at him. Then promptly plucked one of the bills from his hands.

"You're lucky you're knocked up."

"Hm."

"John," Storm greeted, "good to see you again."

The young man looked different every time they saw him, but she could see why his father thought he was in need of a hair cut. His dark brown hair fell in to his eyes, and more then a fair hint of stubble lined his strong jaw. Out of the corner of her eye, Storm noticed Rouge eying both men appreciatively, no doubt noticing the change in John herself.

Wade's transformation, however, was almost awe inspiring. A dark beard grew from his chin, effectively covering his scarred mouth. His hair had grown out as well, and his skin was no longer the sickly hue it had been at the mansion. His eyes gleamed mischievously, but were no longer sunken in.

"Likewise," He nodded, hating that he almost meant it. "But seriously, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Misty's gonna tell Kurt." Leon and Amy chimed together.

Pyro nodded, going back to counting his winnings, "finally."

"Going to tell Kurt what?" Scott asked.

"That's she's his mother," They chimed once again, this time all four of them.

"She is?" The females shrieked.

"Yeah, didn't you notice the family resemblance?" Wade questioned, looping an arm around Amy's shoulders.

She pushed him away quickly, "it's too hot for that."

"Hm. Sorry, I forgot you have the core temperature of a volcano."

"You suck, Wilson." They pecked on the lips and she went back to leaning on his chest.

"Yeah…anyway," John shook his head, "I'm gonna order a pizza."

Logan nodded, "Good idea."

"So," Rouge turned her attention back to Amy as John left the room. "Boy or girl?

"Girl."

"Aw."

Scott and Logan shared a look. They didn't want to think of it, her being in the state she was in, but Amy looked good. Better then she had at the mansion that's for damn sure. Her shapely legs poked out from a maternal sun dress, and the barefoot look worked for her. Not to mention what the pregnancy had done to her rack.

"I can see you staring at them, guys, and don't get too attached," Amy pursed her lips, "they're rentals."

"Hm."

_**-(August, 2007)-**_

"Wade?"

"Yeah?"

"For all the pain I just went through, you are so lucky this kid is cute."

"Of course she's cute, both our kids are cute."

"I'm telling John you said that."

"Good I hope you do."

"I will."

"Good." He rested his head on her shoulder, peering down at the little girl in her arms, "what're gonna call her?"

"October."

"October?" her repeated, "I like that, where'd you get it?"

She brushed her finger over the tiny girl's cheek. "John mentioned it."

"He's a good kid."

"Yeah, he is." Amy nudged him, "go get him."

"Okay. Don't drop her."

"I'm capable of holding a baby, Wade."

"I didn't say you weren't, I said don't drop her."

She scoffed as he left the room, most of the pain in her pelvis having been diminished by her healing factor. "Hey, baby."

_**-/-/-**_

Wade poked his head into the waiting room. A nervous looking young man sat at the end of the hall. His head shot up the minute the door opened, but when he realized he didn't know the person, it dropped quickly.

"First timer?" Wade asked.

"Yep."

"Hm. Me, too."

John came around the corner holding a coffee, looking considerable more lax then the man who appeared a few years older then him. "How is she?"

"They're both fine," his dad grinned, "Amy wants to see you."

"Cool." John nodded, down playing his excitement. The pair wandered down the hall quietly, listening to the echoing screeches of new born infants bounce off the walls around them. "She's not doing that is she?"

"Not yet."

He pursed his lips at that, pushing the door open. "Hm."

Tired, but welcoming eyes met his and he approached with caution as she waved him over. "Come on, meet your sister."

John glanced at Wade for encouragement, who smiled and nodded. He even gave him a little shove on the back. He stumbled slightly, shooting his father a glare before moving to stand beside Amy.

"What'd you call her?" He looked down at her, then at the infant, "she's really small."

"October."

A smile pulled at his lips and he nodded, "sounds good."

"Wanna hold 'er?"

"Sure."

Taking October with gentle hands, John smirked, "hi, Toby."

_**-(August, 2011)-**_

"But why do you have to go?"

"I'm going to school," John sighed, taking the shirt from her hands and putting it in his suitcase, "we've been over this remember?"

"But you're already in school! Remember?" Toby mocked, pouting up at him with hurt eyes, "why do you have to leave?"

"Because I want to go to a different school, Tobe."

"They have those here! I've seen them!"

He sighed, chuckling softly. "Those aren't the kind of schools I want to go to."

"But-" She began twisting the fabric of her light blue shirt in her hands, "I don't want you to go to New Jersey."

"It's just for a few months, you'll see me a Christmas." He promised.

"Yeah, then you'll leave again."

"You're right, I will," John told her, "but I'll be back. I always come back, right?"

October huffed, "yeah."

"And I usually come baring gifts, right?"

"Yeah."

"So?" He grinned at her, "gonna let me go?"

She shrugged, "I don't really have a choice."

"That's right you don't, now get out of my room or sit quietly."

Opting for the latter, she hopped up on the bed, sitting idly next to his suitcase as he continued to toss shirts into it. "What's so great about New Jersey anyway?"

"It's got the Rowan University, for starters," he groaned, getting a little sick of going over and over and over this with her. He tossed a shirt at her, "here."

"What's this for?"

"You can wear it in case you miss me." Pyro told her, giving her a pat on the head, "now let me finish packing."

_**-/-/-**_

"All packed up?" Amy asked, lifting her dozing daughter off the bed with ease.

John scratched the back of his neck. "just about."

"That's good," She bit her lip, "you'll be okay by yourself, right?"

"Amy."

"I know, it's just, I've gotten used to having you around, Johnnycakes."

He smiled, "I know."

"You'll keep out of trouble, right?"

"I will."

"Okay." She kissed his forehead, and ruffled his long hair, "get some sleep."

"Night."

"Goodnight."

The next morning, his father drove him to the airport. "So, excited?"

"Yep."

"Good. Don't get anyone pregnant, John."

"I won't."

"Good that's all I ask. Oh, and John?"

John glanced back at him from his place in line, "yeah?"

"For the love of god, get a hair cut."

_**-/New Jersey/-**_

"No! No! Dude, you've-you've gotta tilt it!" A voice up the stairs screamed, but it didn't seem to be taking the emergency very seriously as moments later, the man began laughing hysterically. "Nate!"

"What?" A new voice asked, seeming completely bored.

"You're not tilting!"

"Fuck you and you're tilting, Bren, this is why nobody likes you!" The second, deeper, voice scalded, but it was followed by laughter.

A feminine giggle broke the two baritones, which prompted the first voice to declare, "Lydia likes me!"

"Psh, only cause you've got a cute butt!" The other male cackled, letting out a groan of pain a loud thump was heard.

"And _tilt_!"

"Uh-" John glanced up the stairs to see three people struggling to get a very wide couch up a very narrow flight of stairs. The two at the top, a boy and a girl, both in their early twenties, as was the young man struggling near the bottom of it.

"Dude, little help?" He asked, his unshaven face going a little red from the effort.

John nodded, "sure, why not?" He tossed his suitcase on the floor and grabbed a hold of the other corner. The couch was lighter then it looked but was still rather dense.

"You must be John." The man at the top said, grinning, his light reddish blonde hair hitting the light and almost blending in with it. "I'm Brendan," He jerked his head over to the man next to him, "that's Nate."

"Hey." He grunted, shifting the weight of his couch from his back to his legs, "always glad to get rid of a shitty roommate." Nate shot him an accusing but playful glare, "unless, of course, you're the anti-christ in roommate form come here to-"

"Don't mind him," Brendan interrupted, he and the woman both taking a step up, "we just got the History Channel, he's been O.D-ing on the Apocalypse hour."

John winced, pushing the couch upwards. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, oh, and this is Lydia." He jerked his head toward the redhead standing next to him, "she doesn't live here, but her roommates are bitches. So, we see her a lot."

"They've been kind enough to keep me off the streets," She supplied smiling.

John blinked, a little surprised by her laid back demeanor. "Oh?"

"Mhm." Her green eyes shifted over to Brendan, "what _did_ happen to your old roommate?"

"Unfortunate non-pot related incident I assure you," Nate told her, "that didn't involve any kind of snapping turtle."

"You know I think this History Channel thing's a front," Brendan said, "I think you're the anti-christ, Nathaniel."

"Fuck that, my hair is too sexy."

Lydia giggled shooting John a comforting look, "you get used to them, I promise."'

The young man smiled back, "I think I could."

A faint blush rose on her cheeks, but she kept quiet as the boys went back to their bickering and John went back to trying not to stare at her.

It was going to be an interesting year.

A/N: If you read this, congrats it was long as fuck. My longest chapter to date, but I wanted to tie up some loose ends, and I know a few people wanted to see Mystique and Kurt get their shit together. Also I wanted people to get a feel for my ocs, Lydia, Nate, Brendan, and of course, October, who will all make appearances in A Small Crime, the Pyro/OC story.


	24. Note: Trailer

Hey, in know this fic has been over for some time, but the lovely** littlemotel410** just finished its trailer! It's amazing, she's amazing, and is deserving of more praise than I could ever give. I thought you'd like to know.

Here's the link, just take out the spaces:

http:/youtube .com/ watch?v=gxiH0UYx4Mg

P.s

The sequel is in REBOOT mode, and is finally ready for installments to be published.


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